Uzbek Troops Capture Rebel Leader Easily

[maddezmom]

KORASUV, Uzbekistan - Breaking through a wooden gate and firing only a single warning shot, Uzbek forces on Thursday captured a rebel leader who had proclaimed plans for an Islamic state in this border town.

The arrest and takeover of the town of 20,000 quelled the last open bastion of resistance to the U.S.-allied government in the volatile Fergana Valley.

Gen. John Abizaid, head of the U.S. Central Command, said the U.S. military has scaled back its operations from Uzbekistan since the violence broke out last Friday. American forces operate out of an air base in the country in support of operations in Afghanistan.

"We have decided to make sure that we're cautious about how we're operating," the general told a small group of reporters Wednesday, according to a Pentagon transcript. He said the change was not meant to be a message to Uzbekistan's government.

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more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050520/ap_on_re_eu/uzbekistan