Uzbekistan president Karimov dead: official

Moscow, Sep 2 (AFP) Uzbekistan’s President Islam Karimovdied today, the government announced, ending more than 25years of his iron-fisted rule in the Central Asian nation withno clear successor lined up. "Dear compatriots, it is with huge grief in our heartsthat we announce to you the death of our dear president," astate TV presenter said, reading an official statement. Authorities said Karimov, 78, was pronounced dead at 8:55pm local time (2025 IST) following days of speculation thatauthorities were delaying the confirmation of his death afterhe reportedly suffered a stroke over the weekend. The strongman’s funeral will be held in his home city ofSamarkand tomorrow as the country begins three days ofmourning, the statement said, with Uzbekistan now facing itsgreatest period of uncertainty in its post-Soviet history. Loyalist Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev will head thecommittee charged with organising his funeral, suggesting thathe could be in line to take over from Karimov. Karimov’s youngest daughter Lola wrote on Facebook that"he has left us… I am struggling for words, I can’t believeit myself". Long condemned by rights groups for brutally crushingdissent, Karimov has ruled landlocked Uzbekistan since beforeit gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Born on January 30, 1938, Karimov was raised in anorphanage in the ancient city of Samarkand, before studyingmechanical engineering and economics and rising up the ranksof the Communist Party to become head of Soviet Uzbekistan in1989. Russian President Vladimir Putin lamented the death of hisUzbek counterpart Karimov as a "great loss". "His departure from life is a great loss for the people ofUzbekistan," Putin said in a telegram to senate Nigerianleader Nigmatilla Yuldashev, who takes over as actingpresident. (AFP)ASK