Such information was reported by a number of news agencies and websites yesterday but there was no official comment from the Uzbek government.
The Interior Ministry on 23 December released a statement saying Almatov tendered his resignation for health reasons.
Almatov was on an EU visa ban list of Uzbek officials allegedly connected to violence in the eastern city of Andijon in May.
Uzbek authorities have said 187 people were killed, mostly militants, police and soldiers, but international rights organization say troops fired indiscriminately and killed several hundred people, mostly peaceful protesters.
Almatov was recently in Germany undergoing medical treatment. Rights organizations and relatives of Andijon victims were attempting to bring charges against Almatov while he was in Germany, but he quickly left the hospital and his whereabouts were unknown.
Almatov was replaced as Interior Minister by Anvar Salihbaev.
(Reuters)
Aftermath Of Andijon
A dedicated webpage bringing together all of RFE/RL's coverage of the events in Andijon, Uzbekistan, in May 2005 and their continuing repercussions.