A mob of angry protesters on Wednesday beat up Kyrgyzstan's interior minister, who died shortly afterward, an opposition member said.
Opposition activist Shamil Murat told The Associated Press that he saw the dead body of Minister Moldomusa Kongatiyev in a government building in the western town of Talas.
In the nation's capital of Bishkek, police opened fire on thousands of angry protesters who tried to seize the Central Asian nation's main government building, wounding at least 180.
An opposition leader said at least 17 protesters were killed. An AP reporter saw 12 with gunshot wounds but could not immediately confirm that anyone had died. No authorities were immediately available in Bishkek to comment on the reported deaths.
Police in the capital of 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 police officers, beating them up and seizing their arms, trucks and armored personnel carriers.
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.
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By: Brant
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