The violence has riveted the attention of Central Asia's five states on the mountains of southern Kyrgyzstan where more than 700 armed intruders have seized hostages and fought with the country's armed forces.
Some analysts believe that Islamic militants are testing the reaction of the Kyrgyz authorities.
Others have no doubt that that the violence heralds a more troubled future. Violence is already common in Central Asia, a vast mineral-rich region of 50 million people sandwiched between Russia, China and Iran. It is a product of religion, ethnic differences and poverty. Some of it also stems from Central Asia's growing role as a drug conduit between Afghanistan and the West. Tajikistan's secular government and Islamic opponents fought a five-year civil war from 1992.