Kyrgyzstan turns to Russia over unrest - GlobalTimes

Kyrgyzstan's interim leader asked Russia Saturday to send troops to help quell ethnic violence in the south of the country, which she warned had spiraled "out of control."

Interim President Roza Otunbayeva appealed to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to send military forces to help stem the violence after a second day of ethnic clashes that have killed 75 and wounded nearly 1,000 people.

"Since Saturday, the situation has got out of control. We need outside military forces to halt the situation. For this reason we have appealed to Russia for help," Otunbayeva said in a nationally televised address.

Otunbayeva discussed her country's situation with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin by phone late last night, according to a statement from the Russian government.

Violence erupted in the city of Osh overnight Thursday when brawls between ethnic Uzbeks and Kyrgyz escalated into running street battles. Cars were smashed and burned and buildings set on fire throughout the city.

The unrest also spread to the capital Bishkek overnight Friday, where one medical official told AFP that 27 people had been hospitalized, some in critical condition.

Thousands of Kyrgyz women and children have fled the violence to the nearby border with Uzbekistan, an AFP reporter witnessed, raising the specter of a possible humanitarian crisis.

The border remains sealed from the Uzbek side.

According to the AP, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's spokeswoman, Natalya Timakova, said Saturday that Russia would offer humanitarian assistance and help evacuate those wounded in rampages, but won't immediately send in troops.