Kyrgyzstan refugees flee ethnic violence

The World

Tens of thousands of refugees from southern Kyrgyzstan are fleeing to neighboring Uzbekistan after three days of violence aimed at ethnic Uzbeks. Officials say 113 people have been killed, and over one thousand injured, since fighting broke out in the southern city of Osh. The interim Kyrgyz government has introduced a state of emergency and imposed a 24 hour curfew. The U.S. is watching the conflict closely as Kyrgyzstan is an important staging area for U.S. forces heading to Afghanistan. Hamid Ishmailov, head of BBC’s Central Asian and Caucasus service reports from Kyrgyzstan.

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