ANI
13 Aug 2019, 14:48 GMT+10
Bishkek [Kyrgyzstan], Aug 13 (ANI): Kyrgyzstan's State Committee for National Security on Tuesday said that former President Almazbek Atambayev, who was detained in a raid on his residence last week, had plotted a coup to overthrow the government.
Atambayev was detained in a massive security operation on Thursday after a previous attempt to detain him a day earlier failed amid clashes between his supporters and law enforcement that left one special forces officer dead, Al Jazeera reported.
"His intention was a state coup. I say that officially," Orozbek Opumbayev, National Security Services chief told the media here.
Last week's raids came after Atambayev ignored three police summons for questioning in connection with the release of a well-known underworld figure during his presidency.
Atambayev, who served as president from 2011 to 2017, was stripped of his immunity from prosecution in June in the wake of corruption allegations.
The 62-year-old has rejected the charges and accused the current authorities of abuse of office.
The ex-president has been taken into custody until August 26.
Meanwhile, Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov was quoted as saying by TASS news agency that Atambayev had violated the country's constitution by offering armed resistance to law enforcement agencies.
Jeenbekov and Atambayev were once friends, and the former leader backed the incumbent in the 2017 election, triggering accusations that administrative resources were used to sway the vote.
The current crisis has drawn in Russia - the country's Soviet-era master and traditional political patron - where hundreds of thousands of Kyrgyz work as migrant labourers.
Last month Russian President Vladimir Putin met with both Jeenbekov and Atambayev in Moscow in a bid to defuse the confrontation. (ANI)Get a daily dose of Afghanistan Sun news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Afghanistan Sun.
More InformationMADRID, Spain: Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota and his younger brother, André Silva, have died in a car accident in Spain. Spanish...
LONDON, U.K.: An unrelenting heatwave sweeping across Europe has pushed early summer temperatures to historic highs, triggering deadly...
President Donald Trump's plans to build a space-based Golden Dome missile defense shield have drawn immediate criticism from China,...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: Paramount has agreed to pay US$16 million to settle a lawsuit brought by U.S. President Donald Trump over...
LONDON, U.K.: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer won a vote in Parliament this week to move ahead with changes to the country's welfare...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: President Donald Trump will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday. President...
KABUL, Afghanistan: Afghanistan, long associated with war and instability, is quietly trying to rebrand itself as a destination for...
Kabul [Afghanistan], July 5 (ANI): A large number of Afghans recently deported from Iran are facing severe challenges, including homelessness,...
Astana [Kazakhstan], July 5 (ANI): India's boxing contingent at the World Boxing Cup, Kazakhstan 2025, will be vying for at least eight...
HAIKOU, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Nestled in the coastal town of Boao in south China's Hainan Province, the Boao Lecheng International Medical...
Kabul [Afghanistan], July 5 (ANI): A UN official reported that Iran has accused hundreds of Afghan migrants of spying, raising concerns...
(250705) -- HINGGAN LEAGUE, July 5, 2025 (Xinhua) -- An aerial drone photo taken on July 5, 2025 shows tourists taking a boat tour...