Tensions are mounting on the streets of Bishkek as the political crisis deepens.

Protesters supporting rival political camps clashed Friday, October 9, in the streets of the capital of Kyrgyzstan.

President Soroonbai Jeenbekov, for his part, has indicated that he may resign.

Kyrgyzstan has been plunged into a serious crisis since the outbreak of a protest movement against fraud in Sunday's parliamentary elections, won by two parties close to Sooronbai Jeenbekov.

Early Friday morning, the head of state announced that he was "ready" to leave his post "when legitimate authorities have been approved and we will be back on the path to legality."

The resignation could come after changes are made in the government and a date set for new elections, the presidency said in a statement.

The first condition has been met, Sooronbai Jeenbekov having issued a decree dismissing the government.

He also signed a decree imposing a state of emergency in the capital of this Central Asian country but nothing says that it will be applied, several political clans having taken control of the various government agencies.

In the meantime, supporters of various political figures were putting pressure on the streets of Bishkek, seeming to be already preparing for the post-Jeenbekov period.

Ex-president versus nationalist

Clashes broke out in the city center between supporters of ex-President Almazbek Atambayev and nationalist Sadyr Japarov, who was appointed prime minister on Tuesday in murky conditions.

An AFP journalist saw supporters of one smash car windows as police on the other side fired shots in the air.

The health ministry told AFP that at least five people were injured, including a prominent young politician, Tilek Toktagaziyev, who was hit by stones.

At the start of the day, several thousand supporters of Sadyr Japarov had gathered in a park near the building housing the Prime Minister's seat.

Sadyr Japarov "will become prime minister and president and then everything will be fine," one speaker told the crowd, aggressively, which threatened several journalists.

Sadyr Japarov was serving an 11 and a half year prison sentence until Monday for hostage-taking during a previous political crisis.

President Jeenbekov's former political mentor Almazbek Atambayev also staged his protest, during which many held placards calling on the head of state to leave Kyrgyzstan.

"The former president's car was hit by live ammunition," Koundouz Joldoubaïeva told AFP.

Now the president's great rival, Almazbek Atambaïev was released from prison on Monday during a night of riots.

He was serving an eleven-year prison sentence for having released a mafia boss from prison and was awaiting a second trial for his role in the armed resistance to his arrest.

The clashes, including violent clashes between demonstrators and police on Monday, have so far left one dead and more than a thousand injured in Kyrgyzstan.

This crisis raises fears of an outbreak of violence in this state, considered a democratic exception in a region where authoritarian regimes are the rule.

Friday, a third demonstration was organized in Bishkek by groups claiming to be of the civil society against organized crime, which plagues politics in the eyes of many Kirghiz.

"Stabilize the situation"

The day before, personalities from different opposition parties claimed to control the prosecutor's office or the Ministry of the Interior.

No police presence was visible in front of the main government buildings.

The powerful security services (GKNB) called on the political class to restore order and Russia, the regional power, recognized the authority of the man who took control of the GKNB through of the chaos of the last days, Omourbek Souvanaliev.

The Kremlin has indeed declared that the head of the Russian security services (FSB) had indicated his support to Mr. Souvanaliev in the "efforts of the GKNB to stabilize the situation and avoid chaos".

Still, even Moscow does not seem certain to be able to influence the outcome of this political crisis.

Stanislav Zas, secretary general of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CTSC), a politico-military union led by Russia, offered on Friday his help to "play a mediating role".

With AFP

The summary of the week

France 24 invites you to come back to the news that marked the week

I subscribe

Take international news everywhere with you!

Download the France 24 application

google-play-badge_FR