
A large gunfight erupted overnight in the capital of Turkmenistan, in a rare instance of violence in the authoritarian Central Asian nation, witnesses said Saturday.
A special radio program citing unidentified sources, reported that gunshots were exchanged in Ashgabat between members of a radical Islamist group and security forces. In this incident at least 20 guards were killed in the attack, they said various witnesses at the time of the tragedy
Turkmenistan, a former Soviet republic blessed with large gas and oil reserves, is a small central Asian country bordering Iran and Afghanistan to the south. Its population is overwhelmingly Muslim but Islamic violence is virtually unheard of, as the government has vigorously stamped out all opposition.
Local people told The Associated Press that armored personnel carriers were circulating in the area of the clash. Streets in the district were closed off for much of the day, but witness said the scene returned to normal later.
A special radio program citing unidentified sources, reported that gunshots were exchanged in Ashgabat between members of a radical Islamist group and security forces. In this incident at least 20 guards were killed in the attack, they said various witnesses at the time of the tragedy
Turkmenistan, a former Soviet republic blessed with large gas and oil reserves, is a small central Asian country bordering Iran and Afghanistan to the south. Its population is overwhelmingly Muslim but Islamic violence is virtually unheard of, as the government has vigorously stamped out all opposition.
Local people told The Associated Press that armored personnel carriers were circulating in the area of the clash. Streets in the district were closed off for much of the day, but witness said the scene returned to normal later.
