Opposition protesters took control of Kyrgyzstan's second-largest city Monday, amid increasingly violent unrest over the country's recent parliamentary elections.
Some 2,000 protesters took over an administrative building and several police stations in the city of Osh, while others gathered in the city center to call for President Askar Akayev's resignation.
The biggest rally was held in the nearby town of Jalal-Abad, where some 15,000 people clashed with police and seized the airport.
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has expressed concern over the situation, and cautioned against the use of violence and intimidation to resolve election disputes.
Russian and European Union officials have made similar comments.
The unrest in Kyrgystan came despite Mr. Akayev's order to investigate charges of electoral fraud and his offer to hold talks with the opposition.
Some information for this report provided by AP and AFP.
