Kyrgyzstan mobilizes 2,000 police and special forces to arrest former president
Kyrgyzstan's special forces yesterday had to use water cannons and stun grenades to suppress supporters of former President Atambayev in order to arrest him.
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Kyrgyzstan special forces fired stun grenades to disperse Atambayev supporters on August 8. Photo:AP. |
Former Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev was arrested on August 8 in a second raid by security forces on his private home on the outskirts of the capital Bishkek.
Special forces from the Kyrgyz State Security Committee (GKNB) raided Atambayev’s home on August 7 to arrest him on corruption charges, but retreated after clashing with hundreds of Atambayev’s bodyguards and civilians.
These people used AK-47 rifles to fire at the special forces, which were only equipped with rubber bullets, killing one special forces officer and taking six hostages. Kyrgyzstan's Health Ministry said more than 80 people were injured in the clashes that lasted all day on August 7.
After the failed raid, GKNB mobilized 2,000 police and special forces to continue to surround and attack the house, where about 1,000 supporters of Mr. Atambaev were holed up. Kyrgyzstan special forces had to use water cannons and stun grenades to disperse the crowd before storming the residence to arrest the former president.
According to local media, Atambayev was then taken to the GKNB headquarters in the center of the capital Bishkek, where he said he only fired warning shots when surrounded by special forces.
Mr Atambayev served as president of Kyrgyzstan from 2011 to 2017 before handing over power to his successor Sooronbai Jeenbekov. Observers say relations between the two men deteriorated last year when Jeenbekov began taking a stand against his predecessor.
Atambayev was accused of corruption and abuse of power while in office but has consistently ignored police summonses, despite having his immunity stripped by parliament in June.