Total of 132 people injured in Aug 7-8 clashes in Kyrgyzstan, 20 remain at hospitals - Health Ministry
BISHKEK. Aug 9 (Interfax) - More than 130 people were injured in clashes between supporters of former Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev and special forces in Bishkek and on the outskirts of the Kyrgyz capital on Wednesday and Thursday, the press service of the Kyrgyz Health Ministry told Interfax on Friday.
"A total of 132 people were injured over these two days, August 7 and August 8. Twenty of them remain at hospitals," the press service said.
Thirteen people are being treated at the Bishkek Scientific Research Center of Traumatology and Orthopedics, four at the National Hospital, and another three at a Chuy region hospital, the press service said.
The Chuy region's police chief, who was injured when special forces were storming Atambayev's house on Wednesday, is still in a coma, it said.
"His condition is being assessed as grave. Doctors continue battling to save his life," the press service said.
Special operations forces of Kyrgyzstan's State Committee for National security attempted to detain Atambayev in the village of Koi-Tash 20 kilometers from the country's capital Bishkek on August 7, leading to clashes with the ex-president's supporters. As a result, 79 people were injured and a special forces soldier died of a gunshot wound.
Clashes continued on Thursday when special forces undertook another attempt to detain the former president. The same day, Atambayev turned himself in to law enforcement agencies. Some 100 people were injured in two days of clashes in Koi-Tash.
Police had to use riot control equipment to disperse Atambayev's supporters who gathered on Bishkek's central square. Policemen used stun grenades and tear gas to push around 1,500 protesters from the center of Bishkek.
More than 40 offenders were detained in Bishkek last night, and four people were hospitalized.
Atambayev's lawyer Sergei Slesarev told Interfax earlier that the former president has been arrested until August 26. According to the lawyer, Atambayev is suspected of involvement in the illegal release of crime boss Aziz Batukayev.
On June 27, Kyrgyz MPs voted 103 votes in favor of terminating Atambayev's immunity from criminal prosecution and stripping him of his status as the country's former president. The move followed the Prosecutor General's decision to uphold accusations brought by the parliament against Atambayev.