BISHKEK. June 22 (Interfax) - Kyrgyzstan's police and security services have detained about 20 people, suspected of being snipers in the Osh riots, National Security Chief Keneshbek Dushebayev said at a news conference on Tuesday.
"Seven of them were actively involved in the tragic events in the south. Most of them are foreign nationals, but their role must be proven in courts. Therefore, I cannot disclose their nationality so far," Dushebayev said.
He said special services found themselves in a delicate situation after his deputy and commandant of the Jalal-Abad region Kubatbek Baibolov announced "there were Tajik nationals among the snipers."
"Special operations help find weapons and drugs, which is one more example of the involvement of drug barons in the Osh events," he also said.
Dushebayev said that special services are compelled to carry out sweep operations in the south "to prevent provocations." "The main task now is to disarm citizens," he said.
Baisalov said last week that special services in Jalal-Abad had detained several mercenary snipers, among them "Tajik nationals, who have found themselves without money and any means of subsistence."
Dushanbe responded by demanding that Kyrgyzstan provide proof of Tajik nationals' involvement in the events in southern Kyrgyzstan, or offer apologies.