Moldovan soldier killed in rare Transdniestria border incident
CHISINAU (Reuters) - A Moldovan serviceman serving on the line demarcating the separatist Transdniestria region was killed on Thursday in unclear circumstances in a rare incident more than 30 years after a war pitting the two sides against each other.
A defence ministry statement said the servicemen was "fatally wounded...as a result of a shot from the weapon in his possession while performing his duties at his post".
It said police and forensic experts were investigating the incident.
Contingents from Moldova and separatist Transdniestria are stationed on the line separating the two sides, along with Russian "peacekeepers" in place since a brief conflict in 1992 in the aftermath of the collapse of Soviet rule.
Moldova has pledged to reincorporate Transdniestria into its territory, but incidents on the line are extremely rare. The last death of a serviceman dates from 2022.
(Reporting by Alexander Tanas, Editing by Ron Popeski and Alistair Bell)
