Kyrgyzstan's ex-President Atambayev surrenders to authorities

BISHKEK. KAZINFORM Kyrgyzstan’s ex-president Almazbek Atambayev has given himself up to the authorities, the entourage of the former head of state told TASS on Thursday.

The special operation todetain Atambayev lasted for nearly 24 hours. On Wednesday, crack forces ofKyrgyzstan’s State Committee for National Security made an attempt to detainAtambayev by force but failed. Atambayev’s guards beat back the attack and tooksix soldiers hostage. After that clashes began around the village betweenpolice reinforcements and Atambayev’s supporters. One police officer was killedand 52 people, including a journalist and policemen, were injured.

The second attempt to storm tohouse followed on Thursday. Several thousand police and commandos wereinvolved.