Kyrgyz president orders state of emergency in capital amid unrest | Kyrgyzstan

Curfew, strict security restrictions until October 21, says President, amid the political crisis.

The Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov declared a state of emergency in the capital Bishkek on Friday, when riots hit the Central Asian country.

A curfew and strict security restrictions apply from 8 p.m. local time on Friday to 8 a.m. on October 21.

Jeenbekov’s orders did not say how many soldiers would be deployed, but they were instructed to deploy military vehicles, establish checkpoints, and prevent armed clashes.

A controversial vote on October 4 sparked fresh turmoil, sparking protests and riots in which at least one person was killed and hundreds injured.

In Bishkek, protesters supporting the police have faced anti-government crowds that have sparked violence.

News of the emergency rule came hours after Jeenbekov signed a resolution to dismiss Prime Minister Kubatbek Boronov and his cabinet on Friday.

Jeenbekov also offered to step down on Friday at an address published on the president’s website, but only once had a new election date been set.

Opposition groups have fought among themselves since they seized government buildings and forced the cancellation of a controversial parliamentary election result earlier this week.

They took the first step towards consolidation in hopes of an end to the crisis, but thousands of their supporters took to the streets at rival rallies that posed a threat of violence.

The opposition is divided into eleven parties that represent clan interests in a country in which two presidents have been overthrown by popular uprisings since 2005.

The Central Asian nation has a history of political volatility – two of its presidents have been overthrown by revolts in the past 15 years.

Russia has described the situation in Kyrgyzstan, which borders China and is home to a Russian military base, as “chaotic and chaotic”.

Moscow is an important foreign power with interests in Kyrgyzstan and has tried in the past to mediate internecine disputes. However, it was unclear whether the Kremlin could help stabilize a fluid situation in the republic.

Stanislav Zas, the general secretary of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) – a Moscow-led security bloc – suggested that he could play a “mediator” role.

The crisis tests the Kremlin’s power to shape politics in its former Soviet sphere of influence at a time when fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan has broken out and Belarus is also embroiled in protests.

“This is an incredible turn of events here,” said Charles Stratford of Al Jazeera in Bishkek.

“Looks like it [Russian President] Vladimir Putin is very concerned about how things could get worse here. And it seems like he ruled Jeenbekov, ”he said.

“Let’s not forget that Russia has great interests here in Kyrgyzstan – geopolitically and in terms of investment.

“This is a country that is buying Russian gas and Russian infrastructure. It’s all taken care of by Russia. “

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