Israel brings Jews from Kyrgyzstan

Israel brought 12 Jews from conflict-riven southern Kyrgyzstan to Israel.

The Kyrgyz Jews arrived June 20 and immediately were made Israeli citizens.

About 70 Jews are thought to live in southern Kyrgyzstan. Most of the country’s estimated 1,500 Jews reside in the capital city of Bishkek. To date, no Jews have been harmed in the ethnic violence, according to the Jewish Federations of North America.

More than 2,000 people have been killed and 40,000 displaced in fighting between ethnic Uzbeks and Kyrgyz that began earlier this month in the country’s south. — jta