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.