Kyrgyzstan President Resigns

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan Mar 24, 2005 — Kyrgyzstan President Askar Akayev has resigned, the ITAR-Tass news agency reported, citing an opposition leader hours after protesters stormed the presidential compound in the former Soviet republic.

Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev Photo

The Russian news agency quoted Kyrgyzstan opposition leader Felix Kulov, who was released from prison on Thursday, as saying that Akayev has resigned. The report could not immediately be confirmed.



Earlier, the Interfax news agency said Akayev had been flown to Russia and his family had been taken to Kazakhstan.



The tumultuous scene was the culmination of the first major rally in the capital since opposition supporters seized control of key cities and towns in the south this week to press demands that Akayev step down amid widespread allegations of fraud during parliamentary elections in the former Soviet republic.