All the Indian nationals stranded in the violence-hit Southern Kyrgyz towns of Osh and Jalal-Abad have been evacuated to capital Bishkek as the death toll in five days of ethnic clashes climbed to 124.
"All the Indian nationals stranded in the southern Kyrgyz towns of Osh and Jalal-Abad were safely evacuated last night by air to Bishkek. They are expected to return to India over the next few days. Flights out of Bishkek are operating normally," a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs said on Tuesday.
It said the airlift of the Indian citizens was arranged by the Embassy of India in Bishkek with the active cooperation and support of the Kyrgyz authorities. According to Kyrgyz officials, 124 people have died and as many as 1,685 people injured in the clashes since last week. However, ethnic Uzbeks alleged that many more have been killed and accused government forces of helping Kyrgyz mobs in their deadly rampage. PTI
