Ethnic violence in southern Kyrgyzstan have claimed the lives of at least 97 people, a local health ministry spokeswoman said on Sunday.
"Ninety-seven people have died in the Osh and Jalalabad regions. A total of 1247 people have turned for medical help," the spokeswoman said.
Deadly ethnic riots swept through the country's second-largest city of Osh and another southern city of Jalalabad on Friday and Saturday.
Kyrgyz and ethnic Uzbek groups set ablaze cars, crushed the stores and markets as well as the residential houses. The looters have been rampaging through the streets during the days of rioting.
Earlier on Sunday, the Kyrgyz interim government introduced a state of emergency in the entire territory of the Jalalabad region and imposed a curfew in the area.
The state of emergency will be in effect until June 22, 2010, the interim government's decree said.
A curfew has also been introduced in the city of Osh and the neighboring Kara-Suu and Aravan districts.
The interim government has allowed police and the troops to shoot to kill in order to quench the riots and stop marauders.
The Kyrgyz authorities have also issued a decree allowing the Defense Ministry to call up reservists aged under 50 to stabilize the situation in southern Kyrgyzstan.
Violence has been common in the former Soviet republic since opposition protests overthrew president Kurmanbek Bakiyev in early April. The president has fled the country and has taken refuge in Belarus.
BISHKEK, June 13 (RIA Novosti)
