ANTI-GOVERNMENT unrest rocked the Central Asian nation of Kyrgyzstan yesterday as thousands of protesters stormed the main government building, set fire to the prosecutor’s office and looted state TV headquarters.

Top Kyrgyzstan officials today alleged the opposition, which has declared a non-stop anti-government rally in the capital, had planned a coup.

KYRGYZSTAN’S new authorities, struggling to end chaos after last week’s coup, yesterday appointed as the Central Asian country’s leader a key figure behind the overthrow of veteran President Askar Akayev.

President Askar Akayev, who fled the small former Soviet republic of Kyrgyzstan last week after protesters stormed his offices and brought down his government, is in talks with interim leaders seeking his resignation, Kyrgyzstan’s acting prosecutor-general said today.

Thousands of people stormed three government buildings in Kyrgyzstan today, forcing security forces to flee, in the latest in a wave of protests to demand the resignation of Soviet-era President Askar Akayev.