UPDATED: Kyrgyzstan Troops Detain Ex-President Atambayev

A second, in 24 hours, attempt to storm the house of ex-Kyrgyz president Almazbek Atambayev took place near the country's capital Bishkek. According to Russian Interfax news agency, Atambayev has been detained as a result of it.

Earlier on August 8, the journalists of the Radio Free Liberty / Radio Europe's Kyrgyz service reported seeing a "significant number of law enforcement officers" moving into the direction of Atambayev's house in the village of Koi Tash, around 20 km south of Bishkek. The supporters of the ex-president – who helped Atambayev escape the arrest during the first storming late on August 7 – were moved away from the territory.

Kyrgyzstan's bodies accuse Atambayev of being part of corruption schemes that led to a breakdown of the Bishkek Thermal Power Station in January 2018. For these charges, the ex-president faces a life sentence. Atambyaev denies any wrongdoing.

One person, a law enforcement officer, died and 54 people (of which, 24 are law enforcers) were injured following the first attempt to storm Atambayev's house late on August 7. Back then, Atambayev – with the help of his supporters who arrived at the scene – managed to narrowly escape the arrest. The troops subsequently left the village.

Atambayev served as the President of Kyrgyzstan between 2011 and 2017. In June 2019, Kyrgyz parliament voted to strip immunity from prosecution for the country's former presidents.

Following the night of violence and and the first, unsuccessful attempt to arrest Atambayev, the current President of Kyrgyzstan, Sooronbay Jeenbekov, cut his vacation short and summoned an emergency meeting of the country's National Security Committee on August 8.