By Olga Dzyubenko
BISHKEK (Reuters) - Kyrgyz security forces launched a second raid on the house of former president Almazbek Atambayev on Thursday, an independent news website there reported, after a failed attempt to arrest him the previous day led to violent clashes with his followers.
According to the akipress.kg website, witnesses saw security operatives enter former President Almazbek Atambayev's country house. Reuters was not immediately able to verify the report.
During the previous day's botched raid, one member of the security forces was killed and six others were captured by Atambayev's followers, the authorities say.
President Sooronbai Jeenbekov ordered unspecified "urgent measures" on Thursday to maintain the rule of law. He told parliament that Atambayev, previously wanted as a witness, was now wanted for "a grave crime".
Atambayev, who helped Jeenbekov to power in 2017 but whose relationship with the president then soured, says corruption allegations against him are politically motivated.
Atambayev and his supporters initially announced plans on Thursday to rally in Bishkek and march toward the building which houses both parliament and the president's office.
But Atambayev did not show up and remained holed up in a village near Bishkek, and his supporters abruptly called off the rally. One of its organizers told about 200 people who had already gathered that they would instead help guard his house against a potential second raid.
The State Committee on National Security said in a statement that six members of an elite unit were still being held by Atambayev's followers on Thursday morning after the initial failed raid. Their unit had retreated from the village.
Committee chairman Ozorbek Opumbayev told parliament on Thursday he had submitted a resignation letter. There was no immediate announcement of whether it had been accepted.
"The head of state addressed Security Council members, stressing the necessity of carrying out all actions aimed at maintaining the rule of law, peace and security in the country, which calls for urgent measures," Jeenbekov's office said in a statement. It did not give details of what this entailed.
"Yesterday we were summoning him as a witness, now we will summon him over a grave crime," Jeenbekov told parliament.
Parliament accused Atambayev of corruption and stripped him of immunity from prosecution in June.
"Unfortunately, the authorities have not listened to my calls to act legally," Atambayev said in a video address posted online.
Kyrgyzstan has been politically volatile: presidents were deposed by uprisings in 2005 and 2010. Atambayev, who took part in both revolts, helped to ensure a smooth succession and hoped to retain influence by installing then-ally Jeenbekov as successor in 2017. But within months, Jeenbekov purged Atambayev loyalists from the cabinet.
Late last month, Atambayev visited Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin expressed support for Jeenbekov in a statement made after the meeting.