After Night Of Bloodshed, Kyrgyz Police Regroup And Arrest Atambaev

KOI-TASH, Kyrgyzstan -- After almost 24 hours of bloodshed, death, and tense confrontations with state security forces, former Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambaev simply walked out of his house and into a police van to end the violent standoff.

The 62-year-old was arrested on August 8 by police who the night before failed to capture him after raiding his residential compound on the outskirts of Bishkek.

Atambaev faces five counts of criminally abusing his office when he was Kyrgyzstan's president from 2011 to 2017 -- including corruption, abuse of office, and illegally enriching himself.

He is currently being held at the building of the State National Security Service (GKNB).

Following Atambaev's detention, hundreds of his supporters gathered in front of the parliament building in the center of the capital, some them throwing stones at police.

Security forces later broke up the crowd using stun grenades and tear gas.

Meanwhile, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev arrived in the country for a meeting of the Eurasian Economic Union, a Russia-dominated economic group.

He said he would discuss the situation with Kyrgyz leaders and voiced hope that the tensions will not lead to "political and, therefore, economic instability in the country."

The violence of the past 24 hours likely means more charges are coming against Atambaev.

"By putting up fierce armed resistance to the investigative measures undertaken within the framework of the law, Almazbek Atambaev gravely trampled upon the constitution and laws of Kyrgyzstan," President Sooronbai Jeenbekov told parliament during a crisis meeting as the drama unfolded.

"If before yesterday [August 7] Atambayev was summoned to the investigation as a witness, now he will be treated as someone accused of committing a serious crime," he added.

Outside the compound, hundreds of Atambaev’s supporters waged running battles with police forces.

With the weapons counted, the two men, followed by several others, walk down the stairs and out a door straight into the police van, which quickly sped away in a convoy before people milling around realized what was happening.