ANKARA (Sputnik) – Earlier in the day, Uzbekistan's cabinet said that Islam Karimov is in critical condition after having suffered a stroke.
"Uzbek President Islam Karimov has passed away. May God's mercy be upon him, as the Turkish Republic we are sharing the pain and sorrow of Uzbek people," Yildirim said.
Karimov was hospitalized early on Saturday after suffering a stroke. The reports of Karimov's death were previously dismissed by a source in the Uzbek Presidential Office.
