100's People Killed in Kyrgyzstan Protests

[Magda Hassan]

At least 23 people have been killed in clashes in Kyrgyzstan's second-largest city of Osh, officials say.
More than 300 people were injured when hundreds of youths fought in the streets of the southern city.
A state of emergency has been declared. Armoured vehicles are in the city and officials say calm had been restored.
However, local journalists say soldiers are not in control, and that a group of young men has attacked soldiers in the city and taken their weapons.
The interim government has been struggling to restore order after a violent uprising in April.
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The current situation demands self-restraint, wisdom and patience from all of us

Roza Otunbayeva Interim President In pictures: Kyrgyz unrest
Since then, there have been fears of an upsurge in violence between Kyrgyz and ethnic Uzbeks in the south.
Osh is home to a large ethnic Uzbek community, and is the power-base of the ousted President, Kurmanbek Bakiyev.
The leaders of Russia and China have appealed for calm.
The violence has also raised fears of a civil war in the country, where both Russia and the US have military bases.
Gun battles Interim President Roza Otunbayeva said that security forces had brought the situation under control but that the situation remained "tense".
She said those responsible for the violence were "trying to destabilise Kyrgyzstan and plunge it into fighting or conflicts".
She called on people to show restraint and "not yield to provocations".
Officials say the shooting has stopped However, local reports suggest ongoing, sporadic violence.
According to local reports, fighting broke out between rival gangs and developed into gun battles late on Thursday.
Gangs of young men armed with metal bars and stones attacked shops and set cars alight in the city.
Firefighters tried to put out the fires, but angry youths reportedly threw stones to prevent them doing their job.
Residents say the shooting continued into Friday morning and that helicopters were flying low overhead.
A number of buildings, including cafes, a local TV channel and a theatre, were also said to be on fire.
Many of the injured were being treated for stabbing and gunshot wounds, health ministry spokeswoman Yelena Bailinova told the Associated Press news agency.
More than 40 were reported to be in a serious condition.
Ethnic tensions It is not clear who is behind the violence.
It appears that the majority of the properties belonged to ethnic Uzbeks.
In recent weeks, several incidents have prompted fears of inter-ethnic violence between Uzbeks and Kyrgyz.
The country's interior and defence ministers are reportedly travelling to the region.
Mr Bakiyev fled with his family to Belarus after clashes between government forces and protesters on 7 April, which left at least 85 people dead in the Central Asian state.
The violence was the culmination of months of discontent over rising prices and allegations of corruption in Kyrgyzstan, which had been regarded as one of the more progressive states in the region.
The interim government has promised to hold elections in October, after a constitutional referendum on reducing presidential powers.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/asia_pa...290717.stm