Kyrgyz ex-President Atambayev reveals he opened fire at special forces during raid

BISHKEK.KAZINFORM Former Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev has revealed that he was shooting at the special forces officers who were storming his residence, he told reporters on Thursday, TASS reports.

«Mysupporters did not have weapons, it was me who was shooting during theassault,» he said. However, Atambayev assured that he «was trying notto hit» people. According to him, he is also willing to assist the releaseof the Alfa special forces officers who were captured by his backers and arenow held in his residence.

OnAugust 7, the Kyrgyz special forces launched an operation to detain formerKyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev, who is suspected of corruption andstripped of his immunity. However, his adherents put up resistance in Koi-Tashvillage, where Atambayev’s residence is situated. As a result, one specialforces officer died and 52 people were injured, including a journalist and lawenforcement officers. The attempts to apprehend the former head of statefailed. The latter has repeatedly denied all accusations.

OnThursday, Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov claimed that the former leaderhad violated the constitution by putting up armed resistance to law enforcementofficers, who were undertaking his detention. In turn, Atambayev said that heplans to bring his supporters to Bishkek to hold a protest rally.