4 Injured in Clash Between Protesters and Guards in Kyrgyzstan

Police in southern Kyrgyzstan say a clash between protesters and security guards outside a hotel in the city of Osh has injured four people.

Local authorities say security guards fired at the demonstrators with automatic weapons to disperse them. The hotel is believed to be owned by prominent politician, Bayaman Erkinbayev, who survived an attempt on his life by unknown assailants six weeks ago.

Monday's clash in Osh follows a similar incident at a market place in the border town of Kara-Suu Thursday, which Mr. Erkinbayev says belongs to his wife.

Kyrgyzstan, a mountainous Central Asian country, has been unstable since President Askar Akayev's ouster in March.

Presidential elections to replace Mr. Akayev are scheduled for July 10. Mr. Erkinbayev is one of the candidates.

Some information for this report provided by AP and Reuters.