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11 Kazakh Border Troops Desert Chinese Frontier

ALMATY, Kazakhstan — Kazakhstan announced that 11 soldiers had deserted a post on the border with China.

The State Security Committee said in a statement Tuesday that the military conscripts had abandoned their weapons at the outpost.

The statement said the desertion may have been a result of military hazing.

This comes just three weeks after 14 troops were killed, allegedly by a fellow soldier, at another remote outpost bordering China.

The suspect, Vladislav Chelakh, stated in his confession that he was bullied by his colleagues.

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