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Security forces break into former Kyrgyz president’s residence

Law enforcement officers launched a new assault on the residence of the former Kyrgyz president

BISHKEK, August 8. /TASS/. Security officers have broken into the residence of former Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev in his hometown Koy-Tash near Bishkek, a spokesperson for this headquarters told TASS.

"Despite the resistance offered by Atambayev’s supporters, the forces managed to break into the residence," the spokesperson said.

The storm is involving more than 2,000 police and special ops forces. Some 300-400 supporters of Atambayev are putting up resistance to them.

Fire has broken out inside the residence, he added. All roads to Koy-Tash have been blocked by police, and mobile communications and the Internet have been switched off.

On August 7, the Kyrgyz special forces launched an operation to detain Former Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev, suspected of corruption and stripped of his immunity. However, his supporters put up resistance in Koi-Tash village, where Atambayev’s residence is situated, one special forces officer died, 52 people were injured in the clashes, including a journalist and law enforcement officers. The operation failed to detain the former leader, who has repeatedly denied all accusations he is facing.

On Thursday, Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov said that the former leader had violated the constitution by putting up armed resistance to law enforcement officers, who were undertaking his detention.

Atambayev served as Kyrgyz president in 2011-2017. He was the country’s first head of state to step down after his first term in office had expired. In the spring of 2018, Atambayev admitted that he had strong differences with incumbent President Sooronbay Jeenbekov.