By BAGILA BUKHARBAYEVA Associated Press Writer
The Associated Press
ANDIJAN, Uzbekistan May 14, 2005 - Thousands of terrified Uzbeks
waiting to flee across the border into Kyrgyzstan stormed government
buildings, torched police cars and attacked border guards Saturday in a
second day of violence spawned by an uprising against the iron-fisted
rule of U.S.-allied President Islam Karimov.
The Uzbek leader blamed Islamic extremists for the revolt and said his
troops were forced to shoot demonstrators Friday as they tried to break
through police lines. Witnesses counted more than 200 civilians dead.
Karimov said 10 government troops and "many more" militants died and at
least 100 people were wounded in Friday's fighting in the eastern city
of Andijan, which lies in the fertile but impoverished Fergana Valley,
just a few miles from the Kyrgyz border.
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Soldiers loyal to Karimov fired on thousands of demonstrators Friday to
put down an uprising that began when armed men freed 2,000 inmates from
prison, including suspects on trial for alleged Islamic extremism.
About 6,000 Uzbek residents headed Saturday to the border with
Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyz border guards were awaiting a government decision on
whether to allow them in, said Gulmira Borubayeva, spokeswoman for
Kyrgyzstan's border guard service.
Saturday's clashes erupted in the village of Korasuv, about 30 miles
east of Andijan. Korasuv is directly on the Kyrgyz border, which is
divided by a small river.
Uzbek police and tax offices were set on fire, and police cars were
vandalized, a Kyrgyz official said on condition of anonymity. Uzbek
helicopters were seen circling the town.
In Andijan, hundreds of angry protesters returned Saturday to the
square where Friday's shooting occurred, displaying the bodies of six
people they said were killed in the fighting. Knots of bystanders
watched as men covered other bloodied bodies with white shrouds.
Demonstrators, some with tears in their eyes, condemned the government
for firing on women and children.
Karimov spoke by telephone Saturday with Russian President Vladimir
Putin, the Kremlin said.
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