Confusion deepens on health of Uzbekistan's president!
Reuters, citing diplomatic sources, says Islam Karimov has died
The Reuters wire service, citing three diplomatic sources, reported shortly after 4 a.m. ET on Friday that the 78-year-old leader of the central Asian nation had died of a stroke. This followed prolonged speculation about Karimov's health. He has not been seen in public since mid-August and his daughter Lola said earlier this week he had suffered a brain hemorrhage.
But later on Friday, government sources said Karimov is alive, although in critical condition.
"Dear compatriots, it is with a heavy heart that we inform you that the health of our president has sharply deteriorated in the past 24 hours to reach a critical state, according to the doctors," the government said in a statement.
The situation became more confused when the Russian news agency Interfax, citing the Uzbek government, also reported Karimov's death — only to retract the story some 30 minutes later. Interfax blamed the mistake on a "technical error."
Meanwhile, a top Kyrgyz diplomat and an Afghan government official told The Associated Press Uzbekistan will hold a funeral for Karimov on Saturday.