Kyrgystan declares a state of emergency after ethnic clashes leave dozens dead

The Kyrgyz interim government has asked Russia for military assistance to stop ethnic clashes that have left at least 63 people dead. But the Kremlin has reportedly said the Kyrgyz conflict is an internal matter and it sees no reason for its armed forces to become involved. +++LM rein+++ Over the past 48 hours the Central Asian country has seen a wave of violence between ethnic Kyrgyz and Uzbeks in its second city of Osh. It has declared a state of emergency amidst the worst fighting since President Kurmanbek Bakiyev was toppled in April.