Veterans, widows of fallen soldiers, high-ranking officers from the Ministry of Defense, and local government representatives attended the event. Among those present were the city mayor Aibek Junushaliev, Deputy Minister of Defense Almazbek Kulmurzaev, Colonel General Abdygul Chotbaev, as well as diplomats from the Russian embassy.
Although the official part of the event was brief, it was filled with significant moments. The Deputy Minister of Defense announced a letter of gratitude to the members of the "Republican Council of Veterans of the War in Afghanistan" by the decision of the Prime Minister. Additionally, veterans were allocated financial support of 250,000 soms from the reserve fund.
The rally concluded with a traditional laying of wreaths, and hundreds of carnations—symbols of remembrance for the decade-long war that claimed the lives of 15,000 Soviet soldiers—were placed at the foot of the monument.
This date holds special significance for Kyrgyzstan. A total of 7,141 Kyrgyzstanis participated in the conflict in Afghanistan; not all returned home, and those who survived the horrors of war remained loyal to their brotherhood in arms. About 250 of them were awarded orders and medals for their displayed heroism. The feats of these individuals are not confined to the pages of history textbooks; they are a living memory that gathers people every year at the memorial in Ata-Turak Park.
