New Osh Mayor Vows To Preserve Order

Osh Mayor Aitmamat Kadyrbaev says those calling for "taking power" will never be allowed to do so.

OSH, Kyrgyzstan -- The newly elected mayor of Kyrgyzstan's southern city of Osh says he will not allow lawlessness.

Aitmamat Kadyrbaev told RFE/RL on January 16 that those calling for "taking power" will never be allowed to implement their plans.

Some 10,000 supporters of the controversial former mayor of Osh, Melis Myrzakmatov, held a mass rally on January 15, saying the mayoral election was rigged.

Myrzakmatov announced his plans to start "a real political struggle" soon.

Osh city police spokesman Jenish Ashirbaev told RFE/RL that probes had been launched into assaults against police and the burning of President Almazbek Atambaev's portrait at the demonstration.

Myrzakmatov, who presided over Osh during deadly ethnic clashes in 2010, was dismissed last month by Prime Minister Jantoro Satybaldiev.