Bakiyev supporters can storm government buildings too
Supporters of ousted Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev have taken over government buildings in three cities: The government buildings in Osh were stormed by some 250 Bakiyev supporters on Thursday morning. There was a brief scuffle with supporters of the new government before they smashed their way through the glass doors and entered the building, but ...
Supporters of ousted Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev have taken over government buildings in three cities:
Supporters of ousted Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev have taken over government buildings in three cities:
The government buildings in Osh were stormed by some 250 Bakiyev supporters on Thursday morning. There was a brief scuffle with supporters of the new government before they smashed their way through the glass doors and entered the building, but the police did not intervene.
They are demanding the reinstatement of the former regional governor, Mamsadyk Bakirov, who was fired after the collapse of Mr Bakiyev’s government. Mr Bakirov told journalists: "It’s the people who support us. The people are against the interim government and their chaotic changes."
A few hours later, reports from Jalalabad – the home city of Mr Bakiyev – said around 100 of his supporters had broken into and occupied local government buildings there. They too were said to be demanding the reinstatement of the local governor there.
Before the end of the day they had also seized similar buildings in Batken, the interim government confirmed to Reuters news agency.
Southern Kyrgyzstan is Bakiyev’s traditional base of support, and it certainly seems like the interim governent hasn’t been able to consolidate power there.
Joshua Keating was an associate editor at Foreign Policy. Twitter: @joshuakeating
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