Kazakhstan receives international military aid after attacks in which dozens have died

The Almaty Police have launched an anti-terrorist operation and the CSTO military alliance, for its part, has sent peacekeeping forces to Kazakhstan.

1:30

The authorities of Kazakhstan have confirmed this Thursday the death of “dozens” of people who tried to break into several administrative buildings in the city of Almaty on Wednesday night, in the framework of the protests of the last days by the increase in the prices of liquefied gas.

Almaty Police spokeswoman Saltanat Azirbek has indicated that “extremist forces tried to break into administrative buildings”, including the Police headquarters, adding that “dozens of attackers have been eliminated, their identities are being determined.”

Likewise, it has ensured that there is a counterterrorism operation in this area of ​​the city and has asked residents to avoid leaving their homes, “for their own safety.” The city police have stressed in a statement that the objective is to “establish order.”

The local police declare that “radicalized followers of the riots have caused enormous damage to the city and have resisted the legitimate actions of the security agencies to establish order and guarantee security.”

Hours earlier, the Interior Ministry had confirmed the death of eight uniformed men (recently they have risen to thirteen), among policemen and soldiers of the National Guard, after the Kazakh President, Kasim Jomart Tokayev, addressed the nation to reaffirm that it will act “as harshly as possible” against those responsible for the disturbances, as well as all those who participated in them.

The city of Almaty is for now the main scene of the demonstrations, which have also spread to large cities such as Nursultán, the capital, and Mangistau. President Tokayev I have decreed the state of emergency and a curfew in various regions. In addition, the entry of foreigners into the country will be temporarily suspended.

CSTO Peacekeeping Forces

Faced with this situation, the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO)A military alliance of six former Soviet republics, troops from Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have been sent to Kazakh territory at the request of the country’s authorities.

According to the CSTO, the main mission of these forces will be “the protection of important state and military objectives”, as well as “supporting Kazakhstan’s law enforcement officers to stabilize the situation and promote their return to the legal framework.”