Western media claims that President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov is dead

President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov has died, stated Reuters, citing sources.

"Urgent: President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov has died-  citing three sources in diplomatic circles," -  claimed the agency on Twitter.

On the eve the newspapers of Uzbekistan issued a statement of the country's Cabinet, that the state of health of President Karimov is regarded as critical.

On , August 29, there were rumors about the death of 79-year-old Uzbek President Islam Karimov, who has ruled the country since 1990.

The officials have not yet mad a claim about whether the president is dead or alive.

More information on this from Katehon:

The process of transferring power is always associated with some instability which Islamist groups will try to take advantage of. The US is also interested in weakening the SCO’s Southern flank, which includes Uzbekistan.

Islam Karimov has ruled the country since independence in 1991. The general style of his foreign policy is maneuvering between the US, Russia and China. However, since 2005 and the uprising in Andidzhan, Karimov initiated rapprochement with Russia. Islamist groups (the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, ISIS networks, and the Taliban) with a foothold in neighboring Afghanistan and the separatist movement in Karakalpakstan might be important factors in destabilizing the situation in the country.