Kyrgyzstan Extends State of Emergency

Posted on Jun 13, 2010

Al Jazeera English

Ethnic Uzbeks who fled their homes in Kyrgyzstan gather along a fence on the border with Uzbekistan.

The interim government of Kyrgyzstan has extended a state of emergency announced last week after ethnic violence erupted between Uzbek and Kyrgyz groups, killing more than 100 and extending to neighboring provinces.

The violence began in the southern city of Osh on the border of Uzbekistan a week ago but has since spilled over to other areas in the region. —JCL

Al Jazeera English:

Kyrgyzstan’s interim government has extended a state of emergency in the country’s south in a bid to stop ethnic clashes that have killed more than 100 people.

Authorities on Sunday imposed a 24-hour curfew in the southern Osh region, and extended a state of emergency to cover the entire neighbouring province of Jalal’abad.

Police and soldiers have also been authorised to “shoot-to-kill” to defend civilians and in self-defence, but the measure has not stopped the spiralling violence pitting ethnic Uzbeks against Kyrgyz.

Gunfire rang out on Sunday in the city of Jalal’abad, where the day before a mob burned a university, besieged a police station and seized an armoured vehicle and other weapons from a local military unit.

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