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[World News] BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan -- At least 10,000 pro-democracy protesters stormed a police station and occupied several state buildings in Kyrgyzstan, a government spokesman said, in the biggest demonstration since allegedly fraudulent elections last month.
The government said it was ready to negotiate with the protesters who have demanded President Askar Akayev's resignation.
"We hope there will be no further violence," presidential aide Abdil Seghizbayev said.
Opposition leader Kurmanbek Bakiyev said talks would only be possible if Akayev himself sits down at the negotiating table.
"All other lower level negotiations will be just a waste of time," he said.
Police fled to the roof of their station, firing shots into the air to deter the stone-throwing protesters in the southern city of Jalal-Abad, regional government spokesman Orazaly Karasartov said.
He said smoke could be seen rising from the police station and that protesters broke windows.
Local civic activist Cholpon Ergesheva said 20,000 people were taking part in the protests and that the demonstrators had taken over the governor's office in Jalal-Abad.
Several people were believed to be injured, though it was not clear how many.
Ergesheva said two of the three buildings at the police station had burnt down and that all the police officers had fled.
Some protesters remained at the police station while others occupied the nearby mayor's office after the soldiers guarding that building also left, she said.
Jalal-Abad governor, Jusup Sharipov, said there were not enough police officers in the region to immediately restore order.
The riot was the latest in a string of nationwide protests sparked by the Feb. 27 parliamentary elections in which President Akayev's allies fared overwhelmingly well. Critics claim the vote and a subsequent runoff election were marred by widespread abuses.
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