Heavy arms fire rings out in Kyrgyz south
Thursday, 17 June 2010
OSH, Kyrgyzstan, June 16 (AP): Heavy arms fire rang out over the Kyrgyz city of Osh before dawn Wednesday as authorities struggled to bring order to the country's south, which has been thrust into chaos by days of deadly ethnic riots.
The violence has prompted more than 100,000 Uzbeks to flee for their lives to Uzbekistan, with tens of thousands more camped on the Kyrgyz side or stranded in a no man's land.
One of the few Uzbek families to remain in Osh told The Associated Press that a mother of two was killed by shrapnel from a shell launched toward their home by the Kyrgyz military.
"The Kyrgyz are out of control. They are destroying us," said Abdumanap Mamasydykov (38) at an ad-hoc funeral for the woman, his sister Gelbar Alynbayeba (48). The family had remained in their homes in Dustak, an Uzbek quarter of Osh, to tend to elderly relatives who were too frail to flee.
The claim that authorities were firing on Uzbeks could not be verified, but an Associated Press photographer who saw frequent military patrols in the center of Osh heard the sounds of artillery fire emanating from their positions overnight. No other armed units or groups had been seen.
The Health Ministry said Wednesday the official death count has risen to 189, with 1,910 wounded, but observers believe the real toll is much higher, as many victims are quickly buried by their relatives in keeping with Muslim tradition.
The violence has prompted more than 100,000 Uzbeks to flee for their lives to Uzbekistan, with tens of thousands more camped on the Kyrgyz side or stranded in a no man's land.
One of the few Uzbek families to remain in Osh told The Associated Press that a mother of two was killed by shrapnel from a shell launched toward their home by the Kyrgyz military.
"The Kyrgyz are out of control. They are destroying us," said Abdumanap Mamasydykov (38) at an ad-hoc funeral for the woman, his sister Gelbar Alynbayeba (48). The family had remained in their homes in Dustak, an Uzbek quarter of Osh, to tend to elderly relatives who were too frail to flee.
The claim that authorities were firing on Uzbeks could not be verified, but an Associated Press photographer who saw frequent military patrols in the center of Osh heard the sounds of artillery fire emanating from their positions overnight. No other armed units or groups had been seen.
The Health Ministry said Wednesday the official death count has risen to 189, with 1,910 wounded, but observers believe the real toll is much higher, as many victims are quickly buried by their relatives in keeping with Muslim tradition.