Babanov Elected Kyrgyz Prime Minister

Omurbek Babanov

Omurbek Babanov has been elected by Kyrgyzstan's parliament to be the country's prime minister.

Babanov, from the Respublika party, pledged to achieve stability, eradicate corruption, and fight crime.

Babanov, 41, told parliament "the nation wants to have more jobs, peace, and stability."

A total of 113 members of parliament (out of 120) voted in favor of Babanov, with just two votes against.

The situation in Kyrgyzstan is still fragile after former President Kurmanbek Bakiev was ousted in April 2010 during violent protests.

This was followed by ethnic clashes between Uzbeks and Kyrgyz in the south of the country two months later that left more than 400 people dead and caused widespread damage in the two largest southern cities, Osh and Jalal-Abad.

with agency reports