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Former Kyrgyz President's Supporters Release Hostages

RFE/RL

   BISHKEK - Six members of the special forces being held hostage by
   supporters of former Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambaev after a failed
   attempt to detain him have been released.

   RFE/RL correspondents at Atambaev's residential compound on the
   outskirts of the capital on August 8 said that they saw the transfer of
   the hostages, who were given to police officials at the site.

   All six were taken away from the area in the same vehicle, they added.

   Tensions remained high on August 8, a day after elite security forces
   failed to arrest the 62-year-old Atambaev, who 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.

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