Tens of Thousands Flee Ethnic Riots in Kyrgyzstan

Tens of thousands of ethnic Uzbeks have fled three days of violence in Kyrgyzstan that left at least 117 people dead and more than 1,400 others wounded.

The International Red Cross said Sunday authorities and emergency services in the south are completely overwhelmed by the riots.  The Red Cross expressed extreme concern about reports of severe brutality.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon discussed the situation with the chair of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, as the world body assessed humanitarian aid needs in the affected region.

Kyrgyzstan's interim government said it will send reserve forces to the southern cities of Osh and Jalalabad.  The government gave security forces shoot-to-kill powers.

Russia sent paratroopers to protect its airbase in the country but rejected interim President Rosa Otunbayeva's request that Moscow send peacekeeping troops. She warned that Kyrgyzstan could face collapse.

The Kremlin promised humanitarian assistance and said it will discuss the issue Monday within a Moscow-led security bloc of former Soviet republics.  Many victims of the rioting have been flown to Moscow to receive medical treatment.

Camps have been set up across neighboring Uzbekistan for refugees, many of whom have gunshot wounds and have seen their homes torched by armed gangs of Kyrgyz men.

Osh and Jalalabad are strongholds for the former President Kurmanbek Bakiyev, who was ousted in an uprising in April and fled the country.

Ms. Otunbayeva has blamed Mr. Bakiyev's supporters for instigating the violence, accusing them of seeking to disrupt a constitutional referendum on reducing presidential powers scheduled for later this month.

Mr. Bakiyev issued a statement from Belarus Sunday, denying any role in the violence and criticizing the interim authorities for not protecting the people.