Kyrgyz police disperse protesters in Bishkek, gunshots heard

The protesters seized several riot police vehicles and drove them in front of the marchers, waving opposition party flags from them. The sounds of gunshots and stun grenades were heard as people fled the square.

Police estimated there were several thousand protesters.

Security measures were stepped up in Bishkek, including at the government building and Bishkek mayor's office, after some 200 protesters clashed with police outside an opposition headquarters.

Many local and international journalists witnessed the clashes as the opposition had announced it would hold a news conference after police and activists clashed on Tuesday in the western Kyrgyz city of Talas and several opposition leaders were arrested.

Major political unrest started in Kyrgyzstan last month, with opposition forces accusing the government of tightening its grip on power while failing to bring stability and economic growth.

Protesters seized the regional administration building in the western city of Talas on Tuesday, and the unrest spread on Wednesday to the central town of Naryn and Tokmak, 50 kilometers east of Bishkek.

Activists in Naryn said several thousand people rallied in front of the local governmental building.

Adilet Eshenov said the protesters had entered the building and held talks with the governor. He added that the police had not tried to stop the demonstrators.

The Kyrgyz Interior Ministry denied the government building in Naryn had been occupied, but confirmed the protests were going ahead.

"There is no seizure. An unauthorized rally is being held in front of the regional administration building, attended by 1,200-1,300 people. There have been no public order arrests," a spokesperson told RIA Novosti.

Witnesses said protesters in Tokmok seized a Chuysk regional governmental building and some police officers had been injured.

Almazbek Atambayev, the former prime minister and current leader of the Social Democratic Party, was detained at his home on Tuesday evening. A journalist and a cameraman of the local television company StanTV, who were interviewing the politician when police arrived, were also detained. They were later released, but the camera was seized, Kazinform cites RIA Novosti. See www.en.rian.ru for full version.