UN Security Council condemns violence in Kyrgyzstan, calls for calm and return to rule of law

UNITED NATIONS – UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. Security Council is condeming the violence in Kyrgyzstan and calling for calm and a return to the rule of law.

The council said in a statement after a briefing late Monday by Undersecretary-General B. Lynn Pascoe that it supports efforts by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and regional organizations "to deal in an appropriate way with the situation."

The council stressed the need to support the delivery of humanitarian assistance "in an urgent manner."

Officials say at least 138 people have been killed and 1,800 wounded since the violence began last week. Tens of thousands of minority Uzbeks have fled the deadliest violence Kyrgyzstan has seen in 20 years.