Unrest in Kyrgyzstan and demands for the resignation of the president

Kyrgyz President Surunbay Genbekov confirmed Tuesday that “he still has control of the situation in the country, after a night of post-election violence, where protesters stormed the government headquarters and released the former president.”

The presidency said that Surunbay Jinbekov “is in control of the situation and expressed confidence that the political parties will put the interests of the country above their own.”

The controversial results of the legislative elections that took place on Sunday caused the descent of thousands of people who opposed the authority to the streets of the capital, Bishkek, prompting overnight clashes with the police, leaving at least 120 wounded.

The Kyrgyz president said: “I have ordered the security forces not to fire and shed blood,” adding that “all measures have been taken to prevent the situation from getting worse.”

The protesters, escalating their protests, stormed the headquarters of the National Security Committee in Bishkek, where former President Almazbek Atambayev was, and released him.

The police used stun grenades and then tear gas to disperse the hundreds of protesters who gathered in the center of the capital, while some tried to climb the fence of the presidential headquarters.

Thousands of people demonstrated in Bishkek to denounce the results of the legislative elections, which were won by two political organizations close to the pro-Russian president, and the protesters called for the resignation of the president and the holding of new parliamentary elections.