Kyrgyzistan: 4 militants of Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) killed in a raid in Osh city
Kyrgyz Security Council Secretary Marat Imankulov says four suspected militants have been killed during a security operation in Kyrgyzstan’s southern city of Osh.
He said the four were connected to the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU).
“Three terrorists, who fired automatic weapons, were killed,” Imankulov told reporters. “One blew himself up with a grenade. As a result, the ceiling of the room where they were hiding collapsed, and now special forces are cleaning up the place. So, three militants were killed, one blew himself up.”
Osh police chief Pamir Asanov said two other militants were captured during the operation and added the security operation was continuing.
Asanov said the fighting created panic in Osh, where tensions linger in the wake of ethnic Kyrgyz and Uzbek clashes in June that left some 400 people dead and caused widespread destruction in Kyrgyzstan’s second-largest city.
Imankulov said two policemen were injured in a gun battle during the raid.
A local police spokesman was quoted earlier as saying the operation targeted members of banned Islamist group Hizb-ut Tahrir.