Police shoot 12 dead at Kyrgyz opposition rally

AP/Google ^ | 07 April, 2010 | PETER LEONARD

[saganite]

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan — Witnesses saw police in Kyrgyzstan shoot dead at least 12 people and wound another dozen after opening fire on thousands of angry protesters who tried to seize the Central Asian nation's main government building.

An AP reporter saw 12 bodies as the crowd retreated.

Opposition activist Toktoim Umetalieva, who was in the crowd, says 17 people have died.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (AP) — Police in Kyrgyzstan opened fire Wednesday on thousands of angry protesters who tried to seize the Central Asian nation's main government building amid rioting in the capital. At least four protesters were shot dead.

Police in Bishkek at first used rubber bullets, tear gas, water cannons and concussion grenades to try to control crowds of young men clad in black who were chasing officers, beating them up and seizing their arms, trucks and armored personnel carriers.

[saganite]

Our forces in Pakistan are supplied through Bishkek.

[Red Badger]

...to try to control crowds of young men clad in black who were chasing officers, beating them up and seizing their arms, trucks and armored personnel carriers.

Sounds like a "extremist right wing militia"............

[saganite]

Go to the link and read the whole article describing the party in power and what the protestors are so mad about. See if you see what I saw.

[penelopesire]

“Authorities over the past two years have clamped down on free media, and opposition activists say they have routinely been subjected to intimidation and targeted by politically motivated criminal investigations.”

Sounds familar.

[saganite]

Meant to say Afghanistan.

[GeronL]

Sounds like they needed killing.

[GeronL]

Obama runs that country too?

[Buckeye McFrog]

Give thanks today that this headline is not about a tea party in Kyrgyz, Indiana.....yet........

[saganite]

I guess you would actually have to read the article first before condemning them.

[Pan_Yan]

Okay, I'll admit it. I had to look it up.

[saganite]

It’s important to us because a lot of our troops (and supplies)go through there on their way to Afghanistan. They can be flown directly into Afghanistan but the bases there couldn’t handle all the traffic that would come their way if for some reason Bishkek were closed to us.

[Tupelo]

“Police shoot 12 dead at Kyrgyz opposition rally”

Coming to a TEA party real soon.

[Lazamataz]

Police shoot 12 dead at Kyrgyz opposition rally

Crygyazy!

[Abathar]

"The opposition — galvanized by growing public dissent under increasingly authoritarian President Kurmanbek Bakiyev and anger over huge increases in the cost of utilities — has vowed not to be intimidated by a government crackdown. Almost all opposition leaders were arrested overnight, according to an opposition lawmaker."

Hmmmm.... Sounds familiar but I just can't quite put my finger on where....

[Zeppo]

Reuters has updated the death toll to "at least 17".

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6351SF20100407?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews

[Zeppo]

Note that the AP article in the original post quotes witnesses as saying 17 deaths, however AP was going with “12” as the death toll.

[Red Badger]

"The opposition — galvanized by growing public dissent under increasingly authoritarian President BARACK OBAMA and anger over huge increases in the cost of utilities — has vowed not to be intimidated by a government crackdown. Almost all opposition leaders were arrested overnight, according to an opposition lawmaker."

Now try it..............

[Red Badger]

Why would they shoot them if they were dead?................

[weston]

Read the Guardian (UK) report which made it sound like Russia may be fomenting this. It seems they are not happy that the Kyrgys prime minister has let the US air base remain. The Russians consider our base to be in their backyard.