Kyrgyzstan: Officer killed in raid on ex-premier's home

BISHKEK

Special forces withdrew from a village early Thursday after failing to arrest former Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev at his residence.

A police officer was killed Wednesday during the operation while Kyrgyzstan’s Health Ministry revised the number of wounded in the raid from 36 to 45. It said 22 of them were injured by stones, 13 by rubber bullets, four by live bullets and six in falls.

Hundreds of Atambayev’s supporters attempted to defend him and a wide range of security measures were taken around his compound, which is located in the village of Koi-Tash, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of the capital, Bishkek.

Atambayev, whose immunity was lifted, has been refusing to obey a subpoena in an unspecified criminal probe.

The area was closed to traffic, while phone and Internet connections have been cut.

Sounds of gunfire were heard from Atambayev’s residence earlier as security forces battled with his supporters.

Special forces leave area

After the unsuccessful operation, special forces pulled out of the village.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Kyrgyz Deputy Interior Minister Kursan Asanov said: “All that we have gone through will be solved with dialogue. Now we are working for this.”

Hundreds of youth who identified themselves as supporters of Atambayev battled police, who continued to carry out security measures in the village.

Asanov called on the crowd to disperse, while they demanded to be able to approach Atambayev’s house and that phone and Internet service be restored.

Addressing the nation through a video recorded at his residence, Atambayev thanked those who supported him and said he wanted to give written testimony to the police.

He called the government’s attempt to arrest him a “violation of constitution” and urged them to stop opening fire on “their own nation”.

President cuts holiday short

Kyrgyzstan’s current President Sooronbay Jeenbekov has returned to Bishkek, cutting his vacation short.

The presidency’s press service said Jeenbekov will convene a meeting of the security council shortly.

Atambayev, who served as president from 2011 to 2017, has been accused of corruption, which he denies. The Kyrgyz parliament stripped him of immunity in June.

Despite being relatively stable, Kyrgyzstan has experienced periods of volatility since gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

In 2005 and 2010, the then presidents were deposed in violent protests that left hundreds dead.

Most of Kyrgyzstan’s six million people are Turkic-speaking Muslims and the north and south of the country are divided by wealth and ethnic tensions.

*Writing by Sena Guler