The death toll from overnight skirmishes in southern Kyrgyzstan has risen to 45 as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has urged dialogue between the rival groups, Press TV reported.
Health officials have said that at least 45 were killed and more than 630 injured during clashes between ethnic Kyrgyz and minority Uzbeks which spiraled out of control, mainly in Osh, the country's second largest city.
Hospital workers say most of the injured people are in critical condition and some may die, raising the death toll for the incidents on Friday.
Hundreds of youths broke windows, looted shops, and torched cars and tires, prompting the interim government of President Roza Otunbayeva to impose a curfew until June 21.
On Friday, at the conclusion of their summit in the Uzbek capital Tashkent, Shanghai Cooperation Organization members issued a statement calling for the restoration of stability in Kyrgyzstan through dialogue and announcing their readiness to provide the necessary support to the Central Asian country.
"Any difference should be settled through dialogue and consultations by political and diplomatic means," the SCO statement added.
Former President Kurmanbek Bakiyev was ousted in April when riots broke out across Kyrgyzstan.
Last May, fighting between Bakiyev supporters and supporters of the interim government broke out in the southern cities of Osh and Jalalabad.
Pundits say the resurgence of skirmishes will be a litmus test for the interim government, which is expected to hold a vote on a new constitution later this month, followed by parliamentary elections in October.