Kyrgyz clashes kill 49: authorities
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The death toll from clashes in southern Kyrgyzstan has risen to 49, according to updated information released by Kyrgyz authorities on Saturday.
![Servicemen drive armoured vehicles in the city of Osh in southern Kyrgyzstan June 11, 2010. [Xinhua]](http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20100612/000cf1bdd03f0d7d15f701.jpg "Servicemen drive armoured vehicles in the city of Osh in southern Kyrgyzstan June 11, 2010. [Xinhua]") |
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Servicemen drive armored vehicles in the city of Osh in southern Kyrgyzstan June 11, 2010. [Xinhua] |
Another 654 were wounded following the clashes in the country's second largest city of Osh, the Health Ministry said in a statement.
The unrest, erupted late Thursday, has prompted the interim government to declare a state of emergency in the city, which has also been put under a curfew from 8 p.m. (1400 GMT) to 6 a.m. (0000 GMT) until June 20.
But gunshots could still be heard overnight, according to local press reports.
Armored vehicles were sent in to stabilize the situation after hundreds of youths smashed windows, looted shops and set fire to cars.
The clashes followed violence last month when supporters of former President Kurmanbek Bakiyev clashed with supporters of the interim government in the southern cities of Osh and Jalalabad.
Bakiyev was ousted in April when riots broke out across the Central Asian country, leaving at least 85 dead and thousands of others injured.
Kyrgyzstan is expected to hold a vote on a new constitution later this month, followed by new parliamentary elections in October.
