'People said that they'd been shot'

People have been killed in clashes between police and protesters outside President Kurmanbek Bakiyev's offices in Kyrgyzstan.

There are reports police fired live rounds after failing to disperse people with tear gas and stun grenades.

Opposition leaders had called for Wednesday to be a day of national action against the government, but many were arrested overnight, leaving demonstrators apparently leaderless.

AFP's Matthew Siegel reports from Bishkek.