Tensions high in Kyrgyzstan's Jalal-Abad.

14/6 Tass 56

BISHKEK, June 14 (Itar-Tass) -- The situation in the city of
Jalal-Abad in the south of Kyrgyzstan remains tense. According to various
sources, shooting, which went through the night, ceased in the small hours
on Monday. However, a two-thousand aggressive crowd gathered in downtown
Jalal-Abad's in the morning.
Witnesses say that unidentified persons are distributing guns and
alcoholic drinks among the crowd, although it is not confirmed officially.
Hundreds of local unarmed police helpers also gathered here.
Arsons of building went on through the night. Police and servicemen
were trying to take control of the situation. Witnesses claimed tough
measures had been taken against looters.
Meanwhile, the night passed relatively calm in the Kyrgyz second
largest city of Osh, where ethnic clashes flared up overnight to June 11,
the region commandant's press service said on Monday.
According to the press service, three fires were extinguished by local
emergencies officers during the night. Some ten people were detained on
suspicion of organizing massive disorders. About 30 cars with no plates
were seized.
Stationary posts have been installed along the Osh region's perimeter
to prevent further violence.
A special commission headed by deputy emergencies minister Mukanbet
Kasymaliyev was tasked to deliver humanitarian aid. More than 100 tons of
humanitarian aid have already arrived to the region from Bishkek and other
regions of the republic. More humanitarian aid is expected to be delivered
from Bishkek during Monday.
Massive disorders and clashes between ethnic Uzbeks and Kyrgyzs flared
up in the country's second largest city of Osh overnight to June 11. The
following day the riots spread to the neighbouring Jalal-Abad region. The
state of emergency and curfew were imposed in the conflict-gripped areas.
On Saturday, interim president Roza Otunbayeva admitted that the republic
was unable to settle the situation and asked Russia for military help. She
held responsible deposed president Kurmanbek Bakiyev's brothers and
relatives for being behind this next round of violence. According to
Otunbayeva, they sponsored the organization of clashes and provided arms.
The former president however said he had nothing to do with the violence
in the republic's southern regions.
The Kyrgyz authorities have sent extra army and police units to Osh
and Jalal-Abad. The interim government has also legalized voluntary public
order squads and undertook to finance them. Kyrgyzstan's provisional
government has ordered a partial mobilization of reservists. All units of
the national Armed Forces were ordered to assume wartime posture.
According to latest reports, the death toll from inter-ethnic clashes
in Kyrgyzstan has reached 117. More than 1,400 people have sought medical
assistance, of whom 742 have been hospitalised, in the past three days, a
sources in Kyrgyzstan's ministry of health told Itar-Tass. Many were
hospitalised with fire wounds.
-0-ras/usn


Delete & Prev | Delete & Next