DATE=8/26/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=KYRGYZ EMERGENCY (S)
NUMBER=2-253145
BYLINE=PETER HEINLEIN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A state of emergency has been declared in
southern Kyrgyzstan, where government troops have
launched an operation to crush armed militants
holding 25 hostages. VOA's Peter Heinlein is
monitoring developments in the Central Asian
nation from our Moscow bureau.
TEXT: Officials in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek,
say warplanes carried out air strikes Thursday
against a group of about one-thousand gunmen who
seized five villages nearly a week ago. It took
place in a remote southern region sandwiched
between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
The group originally took seven hostages,
including four Japanese geologists. But on
Wednesday, the gunmen captured an additional 18 -
- all members of an Interior Ministry unit sent
to survey the scene.
Japan's deputy foreign minister flew to Bishkek
to discuss developments with Kyrgyz President
Askar Akayev, who reportedly pledged to take
every measure to ensure the safety of the
hostages.
But officials acknowledge they still have little
information about the identity or the demands of
the kidnappers. So far, their only demand has
been for food. (Signed)
NEB/PFH/PCF/KL
26-Aug-1999 11:25 AM EDT (26-Aug-1999 1525 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
