.Situation in south of Kyrgyzstan remains tense - police.

13/6 Tass 59

BISHKEK, June 13 (Itar-Tass) - The situation remains tense in the
southern Osh and Jalal-Abad regions of Kyrgyzstan, the republic's Interior
Ministry told Itar-Tass. According to policemen, firing was heard in
Jalal-Abad on Sunday morning, and the situation in Osh is relatively calm,
and no clashes are happening there at the moment.
"Law enforcement agencies are controlling the situation," the ministry
pledged admitting that vigilante groups and volunteers have provided
considerable help to the police officers and security bodies in
establishing order.
Eyewitnesses of the developments in Osh told Itar-Tass that the
situation at present is calm in the centre of the city, there was no
firing heard there also last night. The city dwellers still have shortages
of food products, the city markers, shops, trade centres, public transport
and many municipal services are not working. Smoke is seen over some city
districts. "However, it is not ruled out that it is from the dying down
fire of houses and buildings that were set ablaze yesterday," believe the
eyewitnesses. The evacuation of students of local higher learning
institutions is continuing from this regional centre. Block posts are set
up at the entries and exits of the city controlled by armed people in
civilian clothes.
According to Jalal-Abad residents, many trucks with special task force
units have appeared in this regional centre, no firing is heard, the
Kyrgyz-Uzbek Peoples' Friendship University and several nearby dwelling
houses that were set on fire on Saturday are burning down.
Interethnic clashes between Kyrgyz people and ethnic Uzbeks started on
Osh on the night to June 11. They spread to the neighbouring Jalal-Abad on
Saturday. The authorities in both cities announced a state of emergency
and imposed a curfew. However, during the previous nights these measures
were practically ignored by the participants in the clashes. According to
the latest official data of the republic's Health Ministry, about 80
people have been killed in the conflict and over 1,000 applied for medical
aid.
-0-ezh/gor