Situation in Kyrgyz Jalal-Abad city aggravates, firing is heard.

BISHKEK, June 13 (Itar-Tass) - The situation in the regional centre of
Kyrgyzstan - Jalal-Abad city - where interethnic clashes started overnight
between Kyrgyz people and ethnic Uzbeks, has sharply deteriorated.
Eyewitnesses of the developments in the city told Itar-Tass that a large
group of aggressive young people many of whom are armed has arrived in the
centre of Jalal-Abad. They set several buildings on fire on their way.
Intensive firing can be heard in the city, smoke clouds are visible
over the neighbourhoods with the predominantly Uzbek population.
Information about ravaging and clashes is periodically coming from certain
districts of the Jalal-Abad region. A state of emergency was introduced by
a decision of the Kyrgyz interim government in the whole territory of the
region on Sunday. A curfew has been imposed in the period from 18:00 p.m.
to 06:00 a.m. On Saturday, a crowd broke into a military unit in
Jalal-Abad and seized weapons, ammunition and military equipment,
including APCs, there.
According to residents of another southern regional centre of
Kyrgyzstan - Osh city - shootouts continue in some of its districts. The
leaders of the Kyrgyz and Uzbek communities are trying to hold
negotiations on stopping the confrontation. According to eyewitnesses, the
city is now controlled by Kyrgyz people, the Uzbek population has
barricaded in their compact residence places.
On Saturday, a multi-thousand convoy of refugees, mainly women,
children and aged people, headed for the border with Uzbekistan. The state
of emergency and curfew are also in effect in Osh since June 11. "Just in
three days of disorders our flourishing city has been wiped off from the
face of the Earth," many local dwellers lament.
-0-ezh/gor