Moscow: The authorities in Kazakhstan said on Monday that nearly 8,000 people were detained by the police during the protest which took to violence last week and marked the worst riots faced by former Soviet countries since getting independence 30 years ago.
The Ministry of Home Affairs Kazakhstan reported that a total of 7,939 people had been detained throughout the country.
The National Security Committee, Kazakhstan’s contraintelence and anti-terrorism agent, said Monday that the situation in the country was “stable and controlled.” The authorities have stated Monday a day mourning for dozens of victims of unprecedented violence riots.
The State Health Ministry said that 164 people, including three children, were killed in riots.
Demonstrations began on January 2 for double the price for the type of vehicle fuel and quickly spread throughout the country, it seems to reflect broader dissatisfaction with the authoritarian government.
In concessions, the government announced a price limit of 180 days on vehicle fuel and the moratorium at the utility level increased.
As a riot installed, the cabinet of the minister resigned and President Kassim-Jomart Tokayev replaced Nursultan Nazarbayev, former old leader of Kazakhstan, as the head of the National Security Council.
One of the main slogans of the protest last week, “the parents came out,” was a reference to Nazarbayev, who served as president of Kazakhstan’s independence until he resigned in 2019 and anointed Tokayev as his replacement.
Nazarbayev maintained great strength at the leadership of the National Security Council.
Apart from the concession, the protest changed very hard for several days, with government buildings burning and dozens of people were killed.
In Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city, the protesters invaded and briefly seized the airport.
For several days, sporadic shots were reported on the streets of the city.
The authorities declared an emergency on riots, and Tokayev requested assistance from the collective security agreement organization, the Russian-led military alliance of six Soviet countries.
This group has ratified shipping around 2,500 Russian troops to Kazakhstan as peace.
Tokayev said the demonstration was amrid by “terrorists” with foreign support, even though protests did not show clear leaders or organizations.
On Friday, he said he ordered the police and the military to shoot to kill “terrorists” involved in violence.
In a statement on Monday morning, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Kazakhstan said that peace protests throughout the country were hijacked by groups of terrorists, extremists and criminals.
” “According to the initial data, the attackers included individuals who had military combat zone experience in the ranks of radical Islamic groups.
At present, law enforcement agencies and the Armed Forces of the Kazakhstan face terrorists, not the ‘peaceful demonstrators’ as some foreign media that misinterpret it, “The statement said.
The National Security Committee said Monday that the “terrorist threat” hotspot “in the country was” neutralized.
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