On 6 April 2010, a demonstration in
Talas by opposition leaders protested against government corruption and increased living expenses. The protests turned violent and spread nationwide. On 7 April 2010, Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev imposed a state of emergency. Police and special services arrested many opposition leaders. In response protesters took control over the internal security headquarters (former
KGB headquarters) and a state TV channel in the capital, Bishkek. Reports by Kyrgyzstan government officials indicated that 88 people were killed and 458 hospitalized in bloody clashes with police in the capital. Bakiyev resigned on 15 April and left the country for Belarus.
6 April In the western city of
Talas approximately 1,000 protesters stormed the government headquarters and briefly took government workers hostage. Security forces retook the building in the early evening, only to be quickly forced out again by protesters. Two prominent opposition leaders,
Omurbek Tekebayev and
Almazbek Atambayev, were arrested by Kyrgyz authorities. In
Bishkek, a crowd of about 500 protesters began to gather around a bus stop in an industrial area, with several speakers making speeches about the events in Talas. Riot Police armed with batons, shields, and
police dogs moved towards the crowd in a rectangular-shaped formation. The police rounded up the protesters and pushed them towards the buses. A large group of protesters then tore through police ranks and ran across the street, grabbed rocks, and attacked police, resulting in a massive fight, during which some policemen lost their helmets and batons.
7 April In the morning a small group of protesters were arrested outside the headquarters of the
Social Democratic Party in Bishkek. Hundreds of protesters then gathered. Police attempted to stop them using tear gas and stun grenades, but the protesters overwhelmed the police, and took control of two armored vehicles and numerous automatic weapons. The protest group, now numbering between three and five thousand, then moved towards the center of town and into
Ala-Too Square, where gunshots and stun grenades could be heard, and protesters were seen fleeing. Police began using tear gas, rubber bullets, and stun grenades to disperse protesters. In an attempt to gain entrance to the presidential office, demonstrators drove two trucks into the gates of the White House, at which point it was reported that police started firing on protesters with live ammunition. Witnesses reported that both protesters and riot police were wounded during the clashes, and at least forty-one protesters were killed. A state of emergency was declared, as well as a curfew from 10 pm to 6 am. Later that day opposition leaders and demonstrators stormed the parliament building, led by the opposition leader Omurbek Tekebayev, who had been arrested the day before but was subsequently released. The headquarters for
KTR, Kyrgyzstan's main television broadcaster, was also taken over by protesters. By late Wednesday opposition leaders had announced the formation of a new government, and soon thereafter reports came in that President Bakiyev had left Bishkek and flown to Osh in southern Kyrgyzstan. There were no reported demonstrations in Osh. There were also reports that the government of the Issyk-Kul region had been taken over by members of opposition parties. There was an information blackout throughout much of the country, as TV stations went off the air and both phones and internet became unreliable. There were conflicting reports about the fate of Kyrgyz Interior Minister
Moldomusa Kongantiyev. Some reports said he was being held hostage by protesters in Talas, while other reports said he had been killed. The Kyrgyz Interior Ministry denied reports of his death, calling them "fictitious". There were also reports saying he had been badly battered, but had survived. Kongantiyev was later shown badly beaten, but alive. Opposition leaders announced that they had formed a new provisional government headed by
Roza Otunbayeva.
8 April President Bakiyev, who was confirmed by the Kyrgyzstan Ministry of Defense to be in his residence in Osh, has acknowledged that he currently had no power to influence events in the country, though he refused to resign his post. Even with the opposition reporting itself in control of the police and the army,
9–14 April A few days later Bakiyev commented from his hometown of Osh that he would not resign and called for the UN to send troops to the country to restore order. A rally in his hometown was followed by another bigger rally giving him support in his quest to return to the seat of government. In response the interim Interior Minister said an arrest warrant would be issued for him while his immunity was removed. On 13 April, Bakiyev said he would resign should his security and that of his family and entourage be guaranteed. He said "In what case would I resign? First of all, they should guarantee that in Kyrgyzstan there are no more people walking around with weapons, and no seizures or redistribution of property. Also, I need to know that my own security and the security of members of my family and those close to me will be assured." The interim government said it could only guarantee his security should he resign and leave the country. Tension mounted in the country when the interim government threatened to hunt down Bakiyev while simultaneously offering an
olive branch should he go into exile. In response Bakiyev said "Let them try to seize me. Let them try to kill me. I believe this will lead to such a great deal of bloodshed which no one will be able to justify." During a
nuclear summit in Washington the Russian President
Dmitry Medvedev suggested Kyrgyzstan was in the throes of a civil war and that it could turn into a "second Afghanistan" if the political deadlock was not resolved. He said that "The risk of Kyrgyzstan breaking apart – into the south and the north – really exist[ed]."
Bakiyev resignation On 15 April at a rally by Bakiyev in front of a 1,000 supporters gunshots were heard, although Bakiyev was reported to have safely left the scene. Some claimed that the firing came from his own bodyguards in order to keep the peace and avoid a confrontation with opponents. Later in the day Bakiyev was reported to have flown into exile to the
Kazakhstani city of
Taraz. it was said that he would continue negotiations on a settlement to the crisis from exile. The interim government responded to this by calling his departure a "deportation", saying he had allegedly submitted a request to resign amid reports indicating that
Baktybek Kaliyev, a former defence minister, had been arrested. The interim government also said it would seek Bakiyev's transfer to a Kyrgyz or international court for trial at a later date. Kazakhstan, as the chair of the
Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, confirmed Bakiyev's departure saying it was an important step towards preventing civil war. It added that joint efforts between themselves and Dmitry Medvedev and Barack Obama had fostered such an agreement. Bakiyev submitted a hand-written resignation letter saying "I tender my resignation in these tragic days as I understand the full scale of my responsibility for the future of the Kyrgyz people". The interim president allegedly said "he had become a source of instability ... [that] they could no longer tolerate that". She added that most of his entourage was still in the country and that she would press ahead with bringing Bakyiev to trial. On 20 April, the Belarusian president,
Alexander Lukashenko said his country had afforded Bakiyev and three members of his family "the protection of our state, and personally of the president." On 21 April, in a statement from
Minsk, Bakiyev said he still considers himself the country's president and pledged to do all he can to return the country to its "constitutional field". He then upped the ante by saying, "I do not recognise my resignation. Nine months ago the people of Kyrgyzstan elected me their president and there is no power that can stop me. Only death can stop me". He then called on the international community not to support the interim government. "Everyone must know the bandits who are trying to take power are the executors of an external force and have no legitimacy." He called on leaders of the international community: do not "set a precedent" and do not recognise "this gang as the legitimate authorities." Russia consequently rejected this assertion on the grounds that he had already tendered his resignation saying "this document cannot be rejected by a verbal statement." He also accused the Russians of being annoyed with his allowing the Manas air base to continue operating for the Americans and NATO to supply their forces in the
Afghan war. On 23 April, Bakiyev backtracked on his vow to return to power, but claimed his resignation is invalid because the new government is failing to protect his family as was promised. ==Subsequent events==