Kyrgyzstan Security Council holds session over situation involving ex-president

The Kyrgyzstan Security Council is holding a session in the wake of a situation involving former President Almazbek Atambayev, the press service of the administration of incumbent President Sooronbay Jeenbekov said on Thursday, Trend reports citing Sputnik.

"A session of Kyrgyzstan's Security Council chaired by Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov is underway. The issue of 'ensuring security and order in relation to the situation which emerged on August 7, 2019' is on the agenda of the session," the press service said.

Meanwhile, the country's Health Ministry told Sputnik on Thursday said that 48 people have been hospitalized in the wake of the clashes.

The authorities said late on Wednesday that 43 people had been wounded and one person had been killed in the violence.

On Wednesday, special-purpose police units stormed Atambayev's residence in Koy Tash, located 20 kilometers (12 miles) from Bishkek, in order to detain the ex-president, who has been refusing to obey subpoena on corruption suspicions. The situation turned violent as Atambayev's supporters repulsed the assault, preventing the ex-president from being captured.

A parliamentary committee has concluded that Atambayev, who served as the president of Kyrgyzstan from December 2011 to November 2017, has been implicated in abuse of power, corruption, forgery and other crimes.

Atambayev has denied the allegations and accused the security officers of attacking their compatriots.