Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said on Friday that order had been largely “restored” to the country after days of unprecedented unrest and riots.
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“The police are working hard. Constitutional order has been largely restored in all regions, ”the Head of State said in a statement, adding that operations to restore public order would continue“ until the total destruction of the militants ”.
“The local organs have control of the situation, but the terrorists still use weapons and damage the property of the citizens”, continued the Kazakh president.
The Interior Ministry for its part announced that 26 “armed criminals” had been killed and 18 injured in the riots. He confirmed that all administrative buildings have been “freed and placed under increased protection”, with 70 checkpoints established across the country.
In Almaty, the economic capital and where the riots were the most violent, “the police and the armed forces and related ensure public order, the protection of strategic infrastructures and the cleaning of the streets”, he added. he adds.
Russian troops and other countries allied with Moscow arrived Thursday in Kazakhstan to support the power in place, faced for three days with anger over rising gas prices, which turned into chaotic riots, especially in Almaty .
The violence, which left dozens dead and more than a thousand injured, continued Thursday with gunfire heard in the center of the city, which bore the scars of the clashes.
Eighteen members of the security forces were killed and 748 injured. About 2,300 people were arrested.