1 killed, 42 injured in southern Kyrgyzstan clashes
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At least one person was killed and 42 injured as guns were fired during clashes between interim government supporters and backers of ousted president Kurmanbek Bakiyev Friday in southern Kyrgyzstan, the country's Health Ministry said.
The one killed died of a severe gunshot wound, and 26 of the injured had bullet wounds. Three of them were in severe condition, said a spokesman for the ministry.
Witnesses said forces of the interim government regained control of government buildings in Osh and Jalalabad.
Friday's clashes in the two southern cities came after hundreds of supporters of Bakiyev, who has been forced into exile in Belarus, seized government buildings there and in another southern city, Batken, Thursday.
In Jalalabad, thousands of interim government supporters attempted to retake the buildings. The casualties appeared to be from both sides of the clash.
Witnesses told Xinhua by telephone the two sides at first threw stones at each other but later began using guns.
Supporters of the interim government regained control of the local government building in Osh, reports said.
Interim Prime Minister Roza Otunbayeva has appointed acting Defense Minister Ismail Isakov as special government representative for the riot-hit regions to negotiate with the protestors.
The interim government said similar unrest could break out elsewhere in the country, adding that it was tracking down those responsible.
Riots broke out on April 6-7 across the Central Asian country, resulting in the ouster of Bakiyev and the formation of the interim government.
At least 85 people were killed and thousands of others injured in clashes between anti-government protestors and security forces of Bakiyev's government.
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