Kyrgyzstan: Violence in ehtnic fighting increases, army called

Kyrgyzstan appealed for Russia's help on Saturday to stop ethnic fighting that has killed at least 75 and left parts of its second-largest city in flames, the worst violence since the president was toppled in April.The interim government in Kyrgyzstan, which hosts US and Russian military bases, said it was powerless to stop armed gangs from burning down the homes and businesses of ethnic Uzbeks in parts of Osh. Gun battles raged throughout the night. Violence and shooting spread to the neighboring region of Jalalabad, scene of deadly clashes last month. We need the entry of outside armed forces to calm the situation down, interim government leader Roza Otunbayeva told reporters. We have appealed to Russia for help and I have already signed such a letter for President Dmitry Medvedev. Russia said now was not the time to intervene. It is an internal conflict and for now Russia does not see the conditions for taking part in its resolution, Natalya Timakova, Medvedev's spokeswoman, was quoted. Kyrgyzstan, a poor former Soviet state of 5.3 million people, declared a state of emergency in Osh and several rural districts early on Friday after rival ethnic gangs fought each other with guns, iron bars and petrol bombs.