ANDIJON, Uzbekistan, May 16 (UPI) -- Aid officials deployed in eastern Uzbekistan Monday to investigate claims government soldiers killed as many as 500 people in three days of demonstrations.
The demonstrations against poverty and unemployment began Friday in Andijon, and spread during the weekend to Korasuv, a town on the border with Kyrgyzstan, where locals took control from government officials Saturday.
The government of President Islam Karimov has denied opening fire on demonstrators, but authorities impeded media access to the affected areas, Radio Free Europe said.
Downplaying reports of 500 deaths, Karimov said 10 soldiers and "many more" protesters were killed in Andijan, and blamed the unrest on Islamic extremists, the BBC said.
A United Nations refugee agency team Sunday traveled to Suzak, Kyrgyzstan, 50 miles northeast of Andijon, and reported most of the 560 Uzbek refugees who arrived there were men, and 18 were injured.
