Foreign Students in Kyrgyzstan Advised to Stay Indoors Amid Mob Attacks

Foreign students studying in Kyrgyzstan have been urged to remain indoors following a series of violent incidents targeting international students in the capital city of Bishkek. The advisory comes after reports of mob attacks on students from countries including India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.

The Indian Consulate in Kyrgyzstan issued a statement advising students to stay indoors and provided a 24×7 contact number for assistance. According to official sources, the situation in Bishkek is currently calm, but precautions are being recommended to ensure the safety of foreign students.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar took to social media to emphasize the need for Indian students to keep in regular contact with the embassy. Expressing concern over the incidents, Jaishankar assured that the Indian government is monitoring the welfare of students in Bishkek.

While no Indian students were reported injured in the attacks, several Pakistani students suffered minor injuries during the mob violence. Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, instructed the country’s Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan to provide all necessary assistance to affected Pakistani students.

The mob violence in Bishkek appears to have stemmed from a clash between Kyrgyz and Egyptian students earlier in the week, which escalated tensions among the diverse student population in the city. Reports suggest that certain hostels of medical universities, housing students from various South Asian countries, were specifically targeted during the incidents.