Armed troops in body armor stormed the residence in the village of Koi-Tash late on Wednesday. Atambayev’s supporters started tossing stones as soon as soldiers arrived, but they were no match for the trained men and were unable to prevent the arrest.

Witnesses said shots were heard inside the mansion, but it wasn’t immediately clear who fired them. Media reports claim that at least 10 people were wounded during the operation. A local TV channel broadcast the events live on YouTube.

Footage from the scene, taken by RT’s Ruptly video agency, caught the beginning of raid and showed Atambayev, who was greeting supporters in the yard, swiftly taken away by guards as people fled in fear.

Atambayev was arrested and “taken away in an unknown direction,” his supporters told RIA-Novosti. Another source insisted that the former president was flown from the scene on a helicopter. Witnesses confirmed that there was indeed a chopper circling above Koi-Tash.

Scuffles between Atambayev’s supporters and the special forces continued following the arrest. As darkness fell, videos of a fire at the mansion emerged. RIA-Novosti reported that more gunshots, from what the agency identified as a submachine gun, were heard coming from the inside.

Atambayev was the president of Kyrgyzstan between December 2011 and November 2017. However, as soon as he retired, the new authorities in the Central Asian state launched an investigation after accusing the 62-year-old of concealing income, corruption, and other violations.

In June, parliament stripped Atambayev of his immunity and his official status as a former president. The politician has denied all accusations, saying that a “campaign of lies and slander” had been launched against him.

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