Just In: Kyrgyzstan President, Sooronbay Jeenbekov Resigns From Office After Disputed Election

Kyrgyzstan’s President Sooronbay Jeenbekov resigned on Thursday, saying he wanted to bring an end to the crisis sparked by disputed parliamentary elections earlier this month.

saying he wanted to prevent clashes between security forces and protesters who have demanded his removal from office.

He becomes the third president of the small Central Asian nation since 2005 to be toppled in a popular uprising.

Jeenbekov said in a statement released by his office, “I am not clinging to power. I do not want to go down in the history of Kyrgyzstan as a president who allowed bloodshed and shooting on its people. I have taken the decision to resign.”

Kyrgyzstan, a Russian ally that borders China, has been in turmoil since the Oct. 4 parliamentary election, which the opposition rejected after Jeenbekov’s allies were declared the winners.

After the election, opposition supporters took to the streets and seized government buildings, prompting the authorities to annul the vote. 

Jeenbekov announced last week that he would resign, but this week he delayed his exit, saying he would stay in office until a new election was held.

On Wednesday, Jeenbekov accepted parliament’s choice of Sadyr Japarov, a nationalist whose supporters freed him from prison last week, to be prime minister. Japarov and his followers have demanded Jeenbekov leave office.