Heavy arms fire rang out over the Kyrgyz city of Osh today as authorities struggled to bring order to the Central Asian country’s south after days of deadly ethnic riots.

THE president of Kyrgyzstan declared from hiding last night that he would not surrender to a violent uprising that put the opposition in control of much of the country, home to a US air base key to the war in nearby Afghanistan.

At least four people died when police opened fire on a crowd of protesters in the capital of Kyrgyzstan today.

Gunfire erupted and casualties were reported at a Kyrgyz prison today when riot police entered to restore order.