Thousands of people gathered again Friday in the streets of the capital of Kyrgyzstan, in an effort by the two political factions competing for power to show their powers, at a time when Kyrgyz President Sauronbai Jinbekov declared a state of emergency in the capital, Bishkek, expressing his readiness to resign.
The clashes occurred when two demonstrations in support of two competing political officials, each declaring their right to form a government.
Kyrgyzstan is witnessing a protest movement against fraud in the legislative elections held on Sunday, during which two parties close to President Jinbekov won.
The president - who has not appeared in public since Monday - announced early Friday that he is "ready to leave the post of President of the Kyrgyz Republic" as soon as there is a new legitimate government, and that "we return to the path of legitimacy."
The presidency added in a statement that the resignation may take place as soon as a date is set for new elections and changes to the government.
However, it was not immediately clear whether these conditions were achievable, as the two rival political factions demonstrated again in Bishkek on Friday, and both groups expressed support for a different political official to rule, but neither of them defended the current head of state.
Thousands of people also gathered in a park near a building housing the prime minister's offices in support of Sadir Jabarov, the nationalist politician whose supporters this week freed from prison.
Jabbarov was declared prime minister during an extraordinary parliamentary session held in a hotel after protesters took control of the parliament building during the unrest.
A spokesman for the crowd said that Sadir Jabarov "will become prime minister and president (of the country), so everything will be fine."
Jabarov was serving an 11-and-a-year prison sentence for hostage-taking during a previous political crisis.
Tension did not subside in Kyrgyzstan after the authorities decided to cancel the results of the legislative elections. Clashes had already caused the death of one person and hundreds of injuries in Bishkek.
The current protests that erupted after the elections are fueling a fierce confrontation between President Genbekov and his predecessor and former political mentor Almaz Bey Atambayev.
And organized Atambayev - who was also released this week - Friday a demonstration in support of him during which many carried banners calling for the country's president to leave Kyrgyzstan.
Atambayev - who was abandoned by his former ally Surunbay Genbekov - was serving an 11-year prison sentence for allowing the release of a "gang leader", and was awaiting a second trial because of his role in the armed resistance to his arrest.
Emergency
This came on Friday as the Kyrgyz President declared a state of emergency in the capital, Bishkek, and ordered the entry of Kyrgyz forces into the capital "to maintain order in the city."
The president's office said in a statement that the state of emergency - which includes a curfew and tightening security measures - will be implemented from eight in the evening, Friday, until eight in the morning of October 21.
On Friday, the Kyrgyz president agreed to the resignation of the government and Prime Minister Kubatbek Borunov, and the Media Center in the Kyrgyz presidency reported that Jinbekov signed a decree accepting the resignation of the Prime Minister, so that the Kyrgyz government is considered resigned.
On Tuesday, Kyrgyz Prime Minister Kobatbek Borunov and Parliament Speaker Dostanbek Jumabekov announced the resignation of their posts, and members of Parliament elected both Sadir Jabarov to the post of prime minister and MP Maktibek Abdul-Daif as interim speaker of parliament.
Unidentified assailants shot supporters of a candidate for the post of billionaire Kyrgyz Prime Minister Omar Beek Babayev during a demonstration in "Ala To" Square in the capital, Bishkek.
The powerful National Security Agency (GKNB) ordered the political class to re-impose order, while Russia recognized the authority of the man who had dominated this apparatus thanks to the chaos of the last days, Sovanaliev.
The Kremlin announced that the head of the Russian intelligence services "FSB" had expressed its support for Sofanaliev in "the efforts of the" security apparatus "to stabilize the situation and avoid chaos.
The protests began after talk of fraud in the recent legislative elections (Reuters)
Calls to calm down
The presidents of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan issued a joint statement in which they expressed their grave concern about the developments in neighboring Kyrgyzstan.
In the statement published on the Kazakh presidency website, the three presidents called on the Kyrgyz people to show wisdom in order to preserve peace and restore stability in the country.
They expressed their hope that all parties and social circles would exert their efforts to ensure peace and tranquility and solve the existing problems by adhering to the constitution and national legislations.
For his part, the International Union of Muslim Scholars called on Friday the parties to the crisis in Kyrgyzstan to a serious and effective dialogue to reach a solution, and preserve the country's sovereignty and independence.
The Secretary-General of the Federation, Ali Mohieddin Al-Qaradaghi, expressed his concern about the "critical situation" in the country, according to a statement published on the organization's official website.
Al-Qaradaghi appealed to the people, government and opposition to maintain the peaceful demonstrations and protests, and not to use weapons in them, and called for an immediate and serious dialogue to reach a fair solution that "preserves for Kyrgyzstan its independence and sovereignty, and prevents the interference of greedy people."