Uzbek President Islam Karimov has died

By Park Si-soo

Uzbek President Islam Karimov has died although there is no official confirmation from the country.

The Turkish prime minister has said Islam Karimov has died, hours after the Uzbekistan government conceded for the first time the President was critically ill, according to The Guardian. The Associated Press supported this with a report in which a top Kyrgyz diplomat and an Afghan government official said the Uzbek leader has “passed away.” The AP said Uzbekistan is holding a funeral for President Islam Karimov on Saturday (local time).

Reuters said three diplomatic sources had told it Karimov was dead and a further government announcement would come on Friday that would also name the head of the commission in charge of organizing the funeral.

Karimov, 78, hasn't been seen in public since mid-August, but his government admitted only last weekend that he was ill. His daughter Lola said he had suffered a brain hemorrhage, and a swarm of unofficial reports have placed him close to death or even dead.

Uzbekistan under Karimov has been an authoritarian regime with the ruler suppressing opposition in the Central Asian country since taking power in 1989 and cultivating no apparent successor.

Born on 30 January 1938, Karimov was raised in an orphanage in Samarkand, climbing up the Communist Party ranks to become head of Soviet Uzbekistan and continued as leader after the collapse of the USSR two years later in 1991.

The uncertainty over Karimov's health has raised concerns that Uzbekistan could face prolonged infighting among clans over leadership claims, something its Islamic radical movement could exploit.

Under the constitution, if the president dies his duties pass temporarily to the head of the senate until an election can be held within three months. However, the head of the Uzbek senate is regarded as unlikely to seek permanent power and Karimov's demise is expected to set off a period of jockeying for political influence.