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About 100 Killed in Kyrgyz Rioting

VOA News 13 June 2010

Rioting mobs have killed about 100 people and wounded more than 1,200 others in Kyrgyzstan's south, prompting the interim government to send reserve forces to try to quell a third day of chaos.

Kyrgyzstan's interim government has given shoot-to-kill powers to its security forces after deadly riots erupted between ethnic Uzbeks and Kyrgyz in the southern cities of Osh and Jalalabad.

Uzbek emergency officials say the violence has forced tens of thousands of ethnic Uzbeks to flee.

Camps have been set up across Uzbekistan for refugees, many of whom have gunshot wounds and have lost their homes to torching by armed gangs of Kyrgyz men.

The riots are the worst violence since former President Kurmanbek Bakiyev was ousted in a bloody uprising in April and fled the country.

Osh and Jalalabad were strongholds for the former president.

Interim President Roza Otunbayeva has blamed supporters of the ousted president for instigating the violence. She has accused them of seeking to disrupt a constitutional referendum on reducing presidential powers scheduled for later this month.

Mr. Bakiyev issued a statement from Belarus Sunday, denying any role in the violence and criticizing the interim authorities for not protecting the people.

Russia, China and the United States have called for a quick end to the unrest, which has raised concerns about the stability of a country that hosts U.S. and Russian military bases. Russia's Interfax news agency says Russia sent a battalion of paratroopers to Kyrgystan Sunday to reinforce security at its air base.

Kyrgyzstan, a former Soviet republic, appealed to Russia Saturday to send troops to help quash the ethnic riots. Instead, Russia sent humanitarian assistance.

Pakistan's foreign ministry also has expressed concern, saying rioters had taken 15 Pakistanis hostage and had killed one Pakistani from Punjab province.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.