Dead Toll From Kyrgyz Unrest Up To 49

Saturday, June 12, 2010 at 11:27 am

BISHKEK : The death toll from ethnic violence that erupted in southern Kyrgyzstan has risen to 49, with 654 people injured in the unrest, the health ministry said on Saturday.

Dead Toll From Kyrgyz Unrest Up To 49 Forty nine people in total have been killed following the trouble,between ethnic Kyrgyz and ethnic Uzbeks in the country’s second city, Osh, said a ministry statement.

The previous ministry figures had given the number of dead as 45.

The clashes broke out late Thursday and ran into Friday, prompted the government to declare a state of emergency and impose a curfew on the city and neighbouring districts between 8:00 pm and 6:00 am (1400 GMT and 0000 GMT).

But there was more gunfire overnight Friday to Saturday, a senior member of the security forces told AFP.

“The situation is very complicated… Exchanges of fire are continuing, several buildings are in flames,” he said.

The violence, thought to have been set off by a brawl between youths from the different ethnic groups, quickly escalated into street battles in which people fought using improvised weapons but also firearms.

President Roza Otunbayeva, leader of the interim government, said the situation remained tense and there were fears of fresh violence in the coming days.

One medical official told AFP that 27 people had been hospitalised with injuries in the capital Bishkek overnight Friday, some of them in a serious conditions.

Earlier Friday, protesters in the capital seized cars and minibuses and commandeered them to travel south to Osh, while police used dogs to break up protests, the Kabar news agency reported.

Others occupied the national television station demanding to right to broadcast their views.

This latest violence comes some two weeks before a referendum on the constitution, scheduled for June 27.

Since last April’s uprising, which ousted Bakiyev and left 87 people dead, foreign leaders have warned of the danger of civil war in this strategically important country.

Dead Toll From Kyrgyz Unrest Up To 49

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