Kazakh President has instructed the country’s security forces to “fire without warning” during a harsh clampdown on anti-government demonstrations.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said “20,000 robbers” are said to have attacked the major city of Almaty, which is where the protests began.
He has accused “foreign-trained terrorists,” yet he provides no proof. According to the interior ministry, 26 “armed criminals” and 18 security personnel have been slain thus far in the violence.
In a televised statement, Mr Tokayev stated that the Russian and neighboring country peacekeeping forces had come on his request and would be in Syria for only a short time to ensure stability.
The Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) has approximately 2,500 troops. President Putin was thanked for sending troops by President Tokayev, who referred to him as “our hero.”
“We’re not going to have discussions with the criminals and killers,” declared Mr Tokayev, president of Kazakhastan.
“We had to deal with both armed and well-prepared robbers, both locals and foreigners,” he added. More specifically, we need to destroy terrorists who are behind the unrest.
On Friday, fresh gunfire was audible in the city’s main square of Almaty.
A government crackdown on protesters fueled by oil riots, which have grown into a mass movement against the regime, has resulted in high-profile departures from the top and a deadly clampdown on protestors.
On Monday, the cost of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) – which many people in Kazakhstan utilize to power their cars – doubled, prompting demonstrators to take to the streets.
The government has announced that fuel price limits will be reinstituted for a six-month period. The announcement, however, has failed to end the demonstrations, which have now expanded to include a variety of political concerns.
Kazakhstan is frequently called authoritarian, and the incumbent party wins nearly every election with near 100% of the vote. There is no effective political resistance.