National Guard Day in Kyrgyzstan Date in the current year: July 20, 2024

The National Guard of the Kyrgyz Republic is an independent unit in the Armed Forces of Kyrgyzstan that is directly subordinate to the country’s president. Askar Akayev, the first President of Kyrgyzstan, ordered the formation of the National Guard on December 3, 1991. The first guardsmen took the oath of allegiance to their Motherland and the people of Kyrgyzstan on July 20, 1992.

The main tasks of the National Guard of Kyrgyzstan are the protection of the constitutional order, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country, as well as the safekeeping of strategic objects. In addition, National Guard personnel participate in various state ceremonies and may be involved in emergency and disaster response.

Other tasks of the National Guard include the elimination of illegal armed formations and terrorist groups and the protection of information that constitutes a state secret. To perform these and other tasks, the National Guard works closely with government agencies in charge of national security.

The National Guard of Kyrgyzstan consists of the High Command, the Bars Commandant Brigade, the Panther Special Forces Brigade, the Honor Guard Battalion, the National Guard Military Band, the medical division, and the Edelweiss Training Center. The Internal Troops of the Kyrgyz Republic used to be a part of the National Guard between 2014 and 2018 (as of 2022, they were subordinate to the Ministry of Interior).

The Commander of the National Guard of Kyrgyzstan is the highest ranking officer in the National Guard. He is a member of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Kyrgyzstan, alongside the commanders of the Army, Air Force and Frontier Force, and reports directly to the Chief of the General Staff. The Commander of the National Guard has the first deputy and two other deputies.

The Honor Guard Battalion of the National Guard takes part in the inauguration of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, state visits of foreign officials, and other ceremonial events. The personnel of the Honor Guard Battalion also represent Kyrgyzstan in military parades abroad. For example, the National Guard of Kyrgyzstan took part in the 2015 Moscow Victory Day Parade in Red Square.

The National Guard of Kyrgyzstan participated in the 1999 Batken Conflict, when militants of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) invaded Batken Region of Kyrgyzstan that has sizable Uzbek population. The Armed Forces of Kyrgyzstan, including the National Guard, worked together with the Uzbek Ground Forces to push the IMU back to Tajikistan from where it had invaded Kyrgyzstan.

The anniversary of the day when the first servicemen of the National Guard took the oath of allegiance is observed as National Guard Day. Like all professional holidays in Kyrgyzstan, it is not a non-working day unless it falls on a weekend.