Death toll in new Kyrgyz violence rises to 49

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Inter-ethnic violence in south Kyrgyzstan has claimed the lives of 49 people, health officials say.

Inter-ethnic violence in south Kyrgyzstan has claimed the lives of 49 people, health officials say.

The fighting, between Kyrgyz and ethnic Uzbek groups, began in the country's second largest city of Osh on Thursday night and continued late on Friday. Over 400 people have also been hospitalized.

“The situation in Osh remains very difficult,” an Interior Ministry spokesperson told RIA Novosti.

Osh was the stronghold of former President Kurmanbek Bakiyev, who was overthrown following violent street protests in early April.

The interim government has declared a state of emergency and deployed troops to the region.

"We're clearly talking about a stand-off between two ethnicities. We need to… calm these people down, and this is what we are doing right now,” Interim leader Roza Otunbayeva said.

Medics have been unable to reach many of the injured people due to the fighting.

“Our doctors practically didn’t go out on calls at night because they were afraid,” Osh’s top doctor was quoted by the 24 kg news agency as saying.

He also added that those doctors that had attempted to reach the injured had been attacked.

The UN has appealed for calm and has called on Kyrgyzstan's interim government to "pay particular attention to inter-ethnic relations in the country."

Both Russia and the U.S. have military bases in the country, which many experts fear may now be on the brink of civil war.

BISHKEK, June 12 (RIA Novosti)

 

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