Troops Battle Group Holding Hostages

Kyrgyz forces tried to crush an armed group whose latest hostages include 20 soldiers sent to battle the militants in the former Soviet republic. The Defense Ministry said a state of emergency had been declared in the southern Batken region, where the gunmen have been holed up since last weekend. It said warplanes from neighboring Uzbekistan had bombed guerrilla positions. The gunmen seized five small villages in southern Kyrgyzstan after crossing the border from Tajikistan. Little is known about the group’s identity or aims, though officials have estimated the force at 400 to 1,000 men. The gunmen were also holding four Japanese mining specialists hostage, and Japanese officials said they were planning an operation to free the four captives.