BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan’s former President Almazbek Atambayev escaped an armed attack on Friday.

Atambayev was at a demonstration in the Ala-Too square in the capital Bishkek when an unidentified person opened fire on his car.

Two bullets hit the vehicle but Atambayev was unhurt.

The shooter managed to flee from the area.

Kyrgyzstan has been rocked by mass protests that erupted this week against the results of the Oct. 4 parliamentary elections.

Earlier on Friday, President Sooronbay Jeenbekov declared a state of emergency in Bishkek.

Atambayev and other leaders were freed from prison by protesters on Tuesday.

He addressed supporters at the headquarters of the Social Democratic Party on Friday and called on Jeenbekov to resign.

He also apologized to the people of Kyrgyzstan for his mistakes during his tenure in office.

Protests in Kyrgyzstan started on Monday, with people breaking into parliament and other buildings and clashing with police, demanding a new vote.

The unrest forced Prime Minister Kubatbek Boronov and Parliament Speaker Dastan Jumabekov to step down earlier this week.

Boronov was replaced by Sadyr Japarov, who protesters released from jail on Tuesday.

The Central Election Commission also declared the election results invalid shortly after President Jeenbekov asked the commission to investigate alleged violations./AA