President of Kyrgyzstan Bakiyev Refuses to Admit Defeat or Resign

The president of Kyrgyzstan insisted Thursday that he is not admitting defeat and he will not resign despite a bloody uprising and the formation of an interim government by the opposition.

Photo: President of Kyrgyzstan Bakiyev Refuses to Admit Defeat or Resign

Resistance from President Kurmanbek Bakiyev, who has fled the northern capital of Bishkek for the south, could raise the prospect of continued instability in the impoverished Central Asian nation, home to both a U.S. air base key to the Afghan war and a Russian military facility, The Associated Press reported.

The leader of the interim government, Roza Otunbayeva, has demanded President Kurmanbek Bakiyev resign - but he is refusing to admit defeat and quit.

Mr Bakiyev fled the capital Bishkek after the uprising, which saw at least 75 people killed during clashes between police and protesters who marched on government buildings.

Many of those who died in the city had suffered gunshot wounds, Sky News informs.