Over 7,000 Kyrgyz refugees have returned home from neighboring Uzbekistan, 24.kg news agency quoted deputy chairman of the Kyrgyz border police as saying.
Cholnonbek Turusbekov said the situation on the Kyrgyz-Uzbek border had stabilized and no accidents had been recorded. He said border police had recorded a total of 7,398 refugees crossing the border at several crossing points.
Violent clashes between ethnic Kyrgyz and Uzbek groups broke out in the southern Kyrgyz city of Osh on June 11, lasting several days and spreading to neighboring Jalalabad region. Official figures say nearly 200 were killed in the clashes and more than 2,000 were injured, however Kyrgyz leaders admit that the real death toll could be 10 times higher.
UNICEF says over 100,000 refugees fled to nearby Uzbekistan during the clashes, with 90% made up of the elderly, women and children.
Interim Kyrgyz leader Roza Otumbayeva is currently visiting Jalalabad. The situation in the region is slowly beginning to stabilize.
AKIpress news agency said the Osh regional authorities have registered 168 burnt out buildings since June 11, although the actual figure could be greater.
The state of emergency in Osh has been extended until June 25, while in Jalalabad, where the curfew has already been shortened, it is due to end on June 22.
MOSCOW, June 21 (RIA Novosti)
