| Uzbek soldier at checkpoint in Korasuv |
Two leading human rights organizations say Uzbek security forces may have killed as many as 1,000 civilians in last week's clashes in the eastern city of Andijan.
The Vienna-based International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights and the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan made the charge Thursday. The head of the Uzbek group, Talik Yabukov, also predicted there will be another uprising against the government of President Islam Karimov.
The government, which blames the violence on Islamic extremists, puts the death toll at 169, including 32 soldiers.
Also Thursday, Uzbek troops regained control of the eastern border town of Korasuv and reportedly arrested a local rebel leader, who had said earlier that he intended to establish an Islamic state there. No bloodshed was reported.
Some information for this report provided by Reuters, AP and AFP.
