Bishkek - Kyrgyzstan said yesterday at least 10 of its soldiers and more than 30 rebel gunmen were killed over the weekend in an outbreak of violence that has spread to three ex-Soviet states in central Asia.
In neighbouring Uzbekistan, state television reported troops had killed at least 10 guerrillas and helicopters were blasting rebels who have been fighting government forces since last week. Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan say both groups of gunmen are Uzbek Islamic rebels with bases in neighbouring Tajikistan, which denies the bases are on its territory.
