Azerbaijan and Russia, Thursday, 6 January 2022 -
A police spokesperson in Kazakhstan said Thursday that dozens of demonstrators were killed while attempting to take over government facilities in Almaty, the country's economic centre.
In a statement to local news channel Haber 24, Saltanat Azirbek stated fights were reported on Wednesday night in Almaty as police officers attempted to prevent demonstrators from entering government buildings.
He stated a counter-protest action was underway and asked citizens to stay at home.
Meanwhile, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan has issued an order for all law enforcement officers to remain vigilant.
According to a statement from the presidency, Tokayev has also established a special inquiry panel consisting of prosecutors and top security officers to identify the events that led to the escalation.
In addition, regional governors have been instructed to provide financial assistance to the families of police and soldiers killed in the fighting.
Last Sunday, protests erupted in the Central Asian nation as drivers in the city of Zhanaozen in Mangystau demonstrated against an increase in LPG prices.
The protests extended throughout Kazakhstan, resulting in nationwide public demonstrations.
More than 200 people were detained for breaking public order, 37 police cars were damaged, and 95 police officers were injured, according to Kazakhstan's Interior Ministry.
From January 5 to 19, a state of emergency was imposed in Almaty and the oil-rich Mangystau area in the west to guarantee public safety.
(Report by: The Decision Maker – Central Asia and Russia editors)
Picture by Al Jazeera
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