Kyrgyzstan imposes state of emergency as 45 die in clashes

Kyrgyzstan's interim government declared a state of emergency and slapped a curfew on southern parts of the country yesterday as ethnic clashes left at least 45 people dead and more than 630 wounded.

Interim President Roza Otunbayeva, whose government has struggled to assert its rule over the former Soviet Central Asian state since taking power amid unrest in April, acknowledged the authorities had not yet contained the violence.

"The situation remains tense. Similar conflicts occurred in the month of May. Then we were able to bring the situation under control by imposing a state of emergency," she said in a statement.

"Now again we are forced to impose a curfew."

Thousands of protesters gathered in central Bishkek demanding to travel to Osh to take part in the fighting, witnesses said.

Protesters seized cars and minibuses and commandeered them to travel to Osh, while police threw stones and used dogs to break up protests, the Kabar news agency reported.

"We need the means and manpower to stop the stream of people trying to reach Osh," Ms Otunbayeva said.

Protesters briefly entered the television centre and interrupted a broadcast of the football World Cup, a television centre worker said.

Around 1,000 police and volunteers patrolled the city and the situation was "under complete control," the acting police chief said.

Ms Otunbayeva warned the situation in Osh was likely to deteriorate as government forces attempted to regain control.

Witnesses in Osh described chaotic scenes, with gunfire ringing out throughout the day and heavily armed helicopters swooping low over the centre of Osh.