Special forces storm Kyrgyz ex-president's house

By Nezir Aliyev

BISHKEK (AA) – Special forces have raided the house of former Kyrgyzstan President Almazbek Atambayev to arrest him, according to local security sources on Wednesday.

Police stormed Atambayev’s compound which is located in Koi-Tash village -- 12 km to the capital Bishkek -- , according to a statement issued by the Kyrgyzstan’s State Committee for National Security.

Atambayev, whose immunity was lifted, has been refusing to obey a subpoena in an unspecified criminal investigation.

During the special operation, police opened fire on Atambayev’s supporters while they were standing by in the courtyard, it added.

The forces used only rubber bullets, the committee said.

Some of ex-president's supporters got injured, sources said.

Despite being relatively stable, Kyrgyzstan has experienced periods of volatility since it gained independence from the Soviet Union.

In 2005 and 2010, the then presidents were deposed in violent protests that left hundreds dead.

Most of Kyrgyzstan’s six million people are Turkic-speaking Muslims and the north and south of the country are divided by wealth and ethnic divisions.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar