Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov resigned on Thursday after days of unrest following a disputed election, saying he wanted to prevent clashes between security forces and protesters who have demanded his removal from office.
Kyrgyz president’s press service says President Sooronbai Jeenbekov has made a decision to resign.
In a statement, Jeenbekov said he feared violence might break out if protesters carry out a threat to march on his compound.
"The military and security forces will be obliged to use their weapons to protect the state residence. Blood will be inevitably shed. I urge both sides not to fall for provocations," he said.
"I do not want to go down in Kyrgyzstan's history as a president who shed blood and shot at his own citizens."
Sooronbai Jeenbekov has become the third president of Kyrgyzstan to be toppled in a popular uprising since 2005.
Kyrgyzstan has been in turmoil since the October 4 parliamentary election, which the opposition rejected after Jeenbekov's allies were declared the winners.
After the election, opposition supporters took to the streets and seized government buildings, prompting the authorities to annul the vote. Jeenbekov announced last week that he would resign, but this week he delayed his exit, saying he would stay in office until a new election was held.
On Wednesday, Jeenbekov accepted parliament's choice of Sadyr Japarov, a nationalist whose supporters freed him from prison last week, to be prime minister. Japarov and his followers have demanded Jeenbekov leave office.
Following Jeenbekov's resignation, parliament speaker Kanatbek Isayev would assume presidential powers. Should he also resign, the powers would pass to Japarov.
