THE TELEGRAPH: Thousands of protesters fought running battles with police in Kyrgyzstan in an uprising that left the former Soviet republic on the brink of revolution.
Opposition activists seized the parliament building and laid siege to the government headquarters. The country’s deputy prime minister was taken hostage and there were reports from police that the interior minister had been killed. The main state television station was overrun and by early afternoon the president had declared a state of emergency.
Reports suggested about 100 people were killed and 180 wounded, although the death toll is expected to rise with witnesses describing piles of dead bodies in the streets.
Last night a Kyrgyz opposition leader announced on state radio that Prime Minister Daniyar Usenov had signed a letter of resignation. It was also announced that a provisional government had been formed with former foreign minsiter Roza Otunbayeva at its head. President Kurmanbek Bakiyev, who reportedly fled Bishkek, is yet to formally resign himself.
“Power is now in the hands of the people’s government,” Ms Otunbayeva said in an address on state radio.
“Responsible people have been appointed and are already working to normalize the situation.”
Spokesmen for the government and the president were not available for comment.
The United States, which uses an air base at Manas in Kyrgyzstan to supply troops in Afghanistan, called for calm, saying it was “deeply concerned” by events. >>> Andrew Osborn in Moscow | Wednesday, April 07, 2010
RUSSIA TODAY: Unrest allegedly forces Kyrgyz president to flee country: Kyrgyzstan President Kurmanbek Bakiyev has fled the country following clashes between police and anti-government protesters, according to some reports, and the opposition claims to have set up a provisional government. >>> | Publish Wednesday, April 07, 2010; Edited Thursday, April 08, 2010
LE MONDE: Etat d’urgence décrété au Kirghizistan >>> LeMond.fr avec AFP | Mercredi 07 Avril 2010
