Uzbek President
Islam Karimov has died aged 78 after suffering a stroke, three
diplomatic sources told Reuters on Friday, leaving no obvious successor
to take over the Central Asian nation.
The
Uzbek government did not immediately confirm the reports. Earlier on
Friday it said the health of Karimov, who has been in hospital since
last Saturday, had sharply deteriorated.
Long
criticized by the West and human rights groups for his authoritarian
style of leadership, Karimov had ruled Uzbekistan since 1989, first as
the head of the local Communist Party and then as president of the newly
independent republic from 1991.
"Yes, he has died," one of the diplomatic sources said when asked about Karimov's condition.
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