Russia Probing Petersburg Attack On Kyrgyz Workers

(RFE/RL) 28 February 2006 (RFE/RL) -- Kyrgyzstan's Consul in St. Petersburg Tolon Turgunbaev has said that Russian prosecutors are investigating the killing of one Kyrgyz migrant worker and the injuring of another in St. Petersburg last week, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reported.

The dead victim was identified as Ainur Bulekbaeva. The other person, Gilfuz Babaeva, sustained serious injuries.

The motive for the attack is not known. It was the latest incident in recent months involving attacks on Central Asians and other foreigners living in Russia. In February 2004, a group of skinheads attacked and killed a 9-year-old Tajik girl and severely injured her father and a relative.

Turgunbaev read a letter from the St. Petersburg city prosecutor's office describing the incident.

"On 24 February 2006 [at 9:30 p.m.] Bulekbayeva and Babayeva were coming home and at house No. 9, block No. 3, Khlapoi Street, three unknown criminals attacked them with knives, after which, they escaped," he said.

Bulekbaeva died immediately and Babaeva is in the hospital. A special police task force is investigating.