Opposition in Kyrgyzstan claims power after violent clashes

Opposition leaders in the Central Asian country of Kyrgyzstan say they have formed a new government. The announcement came on state television after the opposition took control of the studios. According to the New York Times, officials at the airport have confirmed that the president has left the capital, Bishkek, on a presidential plane.

Earlier in the day thousands of protesters clashed with police in front of the presidential office in the capital. Riot police fired on crowds with bullets, tear gas and stun grenades. Photos show bloodied protesters and police, burning vehicles and smoke rising from the capital’s main square.

The government's health ministry says 40 people have been killed and 400 wounded. It's not clear how many of those killed were protestors or police. The opposition put the number killed at 100.

According to Reuters and the AP, in another town a deputy prime minister and an interior minister were badly beaten as protesters seized government buildings.

Kyrgyzstan is a key American ally in the region and declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, but in the past year the political climate has grown increasingly tense as the ruling government has used harsh methods to stifle dissent.

To discuss the current crisis, we’re joined by Alexander Cooley, an associate professor of international relations and foreign policy at Barnard college and an expert in the Central Asia region.