Opposition groups took control of most of Kyrgyzstan's government apparatus on Tuesday after storming buildings during post-election protests, but the president clung to power as unrest risked tipping the Central Asian state into chaos.

Protests spread throughout the country, where two presidents have been overthrown in the past 15 years, halting some foreign gold mining operations and prompting an expression of concern from Russia, a longtime ally.

President Sooronbai Jeenbekov called for calm and ordered security forces not to open fire on protesters after unrest in which one person had been killed and 686 wounded by Tuesday afternoon, according to the health ministry.