Kyrgyzstan begs Russia’s help to quell ethnic violence
Kyrgyzstan imposed a state of emergency in a second southern city as its interim leader warned ethnic violence is spiralling “out of control” and asked Russia to send in troops.
Interim President Roza Otunbayeva appealed to Moscow to intervene militarily after at least 75 people were killed and 977 wounded, according to the health ministry, in nearly three days of unrest.
“Since yesterday the situation has got out of control. We need outside military forces to halt the situation. For this reason we have appealed to Russia for help,” said Otunbayeva in a nationally televised address.
But while Moscow said it was rushing humanitarian aid to the former Soviet Central Asian republic, a spokeswoman for President Dmitry Medvedev said it would not yet send troops.