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Chaos reigns in Kyrgyzstan after an opposition government seized control of the Central Asian nation on Wednesday. Thousands of protesters roiling over government corruption and growing utility bills took over various buildings and levels of government, including the internal security headquarters and a state-run television channel. Dozens of people including the Interior Minister were killed in what is being called the worst violence in Kyrgystan’s modern history. President Kurmanbek Bakiyev, has not yet officially resigned. Several local reports maintain that he fled to the city of Osh, Kyrgyzstan’s southern capital and his hometown, to rally support. Bakiyev came under fire for failing to better the lives of his nation’s 5.3 million citizens, a third of whom live below the poverty line. With a radically shrinking economy and growing government nepotism, popular frustration skyrocketed in Kyrgyzstan. Opposition leader Roza Otunbayeva declared the takeover a revolution and has informed reporters that she is taking over the President’s responsibilities, and that she plans to return “illegally privatized” assets to the state. As looting continues in the capital city of Bishkek, residents are forming militias to protect their homes and livelihoods. The general disarray has led to concern from the US government for its military base at Manas, 22 miles from Bishkek. The air base is main hub of support for US war operations in Afghanistan. A senior official within Kyrgyzstan’s opposition government has announced that the length of the US’s lease over the base will likely be shortened.

GUEST: David Trilling, Central Asia News Editor at Eurasianet.org.

Find out more at www.eurasianet.org.

Read David Trilling’s latest piece here: http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insight/articles/eav040810e.shtml