[ad_1]
Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov declared a state of emergency in the capital, Bishkek, on Friday and ordered the army to deploy to the streets of the city, Reuters reports.
The president’s announcement comes as protesters gathered in large numbers in the streets on Friday, the fifth consecutive day of protests. Street fights broke out between rival camps and gun springs were fired into the air, according to AFP correspondents. Important leaders of the country were evacuated from the area.
The measures announced in a statement include traffic bans from 8:00 p.m. on Friday to 8:00 p.m. on October 21.
It was not specified which military personnel would be dispatched to impose restrictions. The armed forces were ordered to use vehicles, set up checkpoints and avoid armed clashes, according to Agerpres.
Jeenbekov had previously announced that he could resign after the appointment of a new government.
The protests are taking place in the former Soviet republic in Central Asia after last Sunday’s parliamentary elections, which were contested by the opposition and later canceled. The protesters occupied the headquarters of the central institutions in Bishkek, but dissensions ensued among the opposition, which is divided into 11 parties. Thousands continued to take to the streets and politicians said they feared violence.
Russia has said it could be forced to ensure stability in Kyrgyzstan, saying the situation is “chaotic.”
Reuters estimates that crises in the ex-Soviet space are testing the Kremlin’s ability to direct politics in countries of influence. The worst conflict in this context is between Azerbaijan and Armenia, in Nagorno-Karabakh.
