| |
| |
 |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
UNITED NATIONS: UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Friday expressed deep concern about renewed ethnic clashes that left at least 37 people dead in the southern Kyrgyz city of Osh.
A UN statement issued from Johannesburg, where Ban is attending the opening of the soccer World Cup, said the secretary general "is deeply concerned" about the violence and urged all sides to show utmost restraint to prevent further loss of life.
The UN boss reiterated the need "to respect the rule of law and to resolve issues peacefully through dialogue."
Ban said his special representative, Miroslav Jenca, who was in Osh Sunday, would press on with his efforts to ensure peace and stability.
Kyrgyzstan's interim government earlier declared a state of emergency and slapped a curfew on southern parts of the country in the wake of the violence that also left more than 500 people wounded.
Kyrgyzstan's interim President Roza Otunbayeva, whose government has struggled to assert its rule over the ex-Soviet Central Asian state since taking power amid unrest in April, backed off earlier statements that authorities had regained control.
"The situation remains tense. Similar conflicts occurred in the month of May. Then we were able to bring the situation under control by imposing a state of emergency," she said in a statement.
Otunbayeva warned the situation was likely to deteriorate further throughout the night as government forces attempted to regain control over Osh. - AFP/fa
|
