OSH, Kyrgyzstan -- Ethnic Uzbek community leaders have met with the mayor of Kyrgyzstan's southern city of Osh to discuss their security concerns, including reports of kidnappings, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reports.
Mayor Melis Myrzakmatov assured the Uzbek leaders that the Osh authorities and law enforcement agencies would do everything they can to provide security for the Uzbek communities in the region.
Osh was the site of violent clashes between Uzbeks and Kyrgyz that led to more than 400 people being killed and hundreds of others injured in June.
Uzbek leaders have complained about the abduction of several women, saying four locals in the last several days were beaten and raped while in captivity.
Myrzakmatov said that he and his office would try to prevent such things from happening.
He said certain forces interested in igniting a new wave of violence between Kyrgyz and Uzbeks were behind such kidnappings.
Read more in Kyrgyz here
Mayor Melis Myrzakmatov assured the Uzbek leaders that the Osh authorities and law enforcement agencies would do everything they can to provide security for the Uzbek communities in the region.
Osh was the site of violent clashes between Uzbeks and Kyrgyz that led to more than 400 people being killed and hundreds of others injured in June.
Uzbek leaders have complained about the abduction of several women, saying four locals in the last several days were beaten and raped while in captivity.
Myrzakmatov said that he and his office would try to prevent such things from happening.
He said certain forces interested in igniting a new wave of violence between Kyrgyz and Uzbeks were behind such kidnappings.
Read more in Kyrgyz here
