New Outburst of Violence in Kyrgyzstan: At Least 17 Killed in Clashes

Kyrgyzstan 's interim government declared a state of emergency and slapped a curfew on southern parts of the country Friday after ethnic clashes left at least 17 people dead and around 200 wounded.

Photo: New Outburst of Violence in Kyrgyzstan: At Least 17 Killed in Clashes

The provisional government, which has struggled to assert order over the ex-Soviet state since taking power amid unrest earlier this year, insisted that while the situation remained volatile, government forces were in control.

"Shooting has stopped across the whole city and the situation is under the control of law enforcement agencies," interior ministry spokesman Rakhmatillo Akhmedov said in an interview on national radio, AFP reports.

Riots broke out in Osh on Thursday night, reportedly after a fight between locals and members of the city's Uzbek population. Groups of youths rampaged through the city, setting fire to cars and buildings and breaking shop windows. Unrest spread across the city and its surrounding region.

Kyrgyzstan 's interim government has imposed a state of emergency in Osh and its surrounding regions until June 20, RIA Novosti says.