Official: Sweep on for ex-president's brothers

A member of Kyrgyzstan's interim government says it has ordered the arrest of the brothers of the ex-president, who has stepped down.

Almambek Shykmamotov said Thursday that a special operation is under way in southern Kyrgyzstan to apprehend Kurmanbek Bakiyev's brothers.

He says that Bakiyev left the country for neighboring Kazakhstan Thursday after signing a resignation statement.

Bakiyev's departure has raised hope that the unrest gripping the impoverished ex-Soviet Central Asian nation will end soon.

Bakiyev was driven from the capital, Bishkek, on April 7 after a protest boiled over into gunfire; protesters then stormed government buildings. At least 83 people died in the violence.

The opposition has accused one of Bakiyev's brothers of ordering to fire on protesters in Bishkek.