The Dominican Republic will shut its entire border with neighboring Haiti from 6 a.m. (1000 GMT) on Friday, President Luis Abinader told reporters, amid a conflict over the construction of a water channel from a shared river.
Santo Domingo is seeking the immediate halt of construction works, saying the closure would last "as long as necessary" with backing from the country's military and police forces, though talks with the Haitian government would continue.
The Dominican Republic has a strained relationship with its neighbor and has tightened border security, deporting tens of thousands"We have been prepared for weeks, not only for this situation but also for a possible peace," Abinader said, adding if the Haitian government could not control the construction, Santo Domingo could.The Dominican Republiclast week, arguing construction works off the River Massacre violate a 1929 treaty.
The government said the border closure will include all land, sea and air routes, and that it deployed a further 20 armored vehicles to a military camp on the border.
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