For days Kazakhstan has been rocked by violent protests. Dozens of people have been killed in clashes between demonstrators and security forces.
Within a few days, the situation in Kazakhstan has worsened dramatically. While at the beginning of the week people took to the streets against the sharp rise in gas prices, these quickly expanded into mass protests across the country that were critical of the government. The authoritarian head of state Kassym-Shomart Tokayev let the police and the military crack down on the demonstrators with extreme severity and finally asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to support troops.
The violence escalated completely on Friday. “I gave the order to fire fatal shots without warning,” said Tokayev in a televised address. He previously said that Almaty, the country’s largest city and economic center, had been attacked by “20,000 bandits”. The “terrorists” had a clear plan and were “ready for the fight”. As a reporter for the AFP news agency reported, the security forces cordoned off strategic areas of the city and shot in the air if someone approached.
Kazakhstan: Dozens of dead and injured in protests
According to official government figures, 26 “armed criminals” have been killed and more than a thousand other demonstrators injured in the unrest. On the part of the security forces, there were therefore 18 dead and almost 750 injured. More than 3800 demonstrators have been arrested. However, the information has not yet been confirmed by an independent party.
The Kazakh Interior Ministry announced that all regions of the country had been “liberated and placed under increased protection.” The “anti-terrorist operation” will continue, said President Tokayev. He accused “the free media and certain people abroad” of inciting the protests. The head of state described Western calls to negotiate with the demonstrators as “absurd”. Instead, in a TV speech, Tokayev thanked Russian President Putin “in particular” for his help. A troop from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) under Russian leadership is currently supporting the Kazakh security forces.
Meanwhile, Kazakhstan’s former President Nursultan Nazarbayev urged the people to support the government. Nazarbayev called on all citizens to stand behind head of state Kassym-Shomart Tokayev “in order to face the current challenges and to guarantee the integrity of the country,” his spokesman Aidos Ukibai said on Twitter on Saturday. The National Security Committee also announced that Nazarbayev’s former head of government Karim Massimov had been arrested. Nazarbayev’s close confidante, who had already been dismissed as head of the domestic intelligence service, was arrested on Thursday – he is facing a preliminary investigation into treason.
International horror at the order to shoot
The order to shoot caused horror all over the world. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned on Friday that it would now be difficult for Kazakhstan to push back Russian influence. “I think a lesson from recent history is that it is sometimes very difficult to get rid of the Russians once they are in your house,” Blinken told reporters. He urged the foreign troops and the Kazakh authorities to abide by international human rights standards. “We are watching the situation with great concern and we encourage everyone to find a peaceful solution,” he added.
Due to the local situation, the US State Department reacted: It allowed consulate employees who are not responsible for emergencies to leave the country, it said in a statement.
The Foreign Office in Berlin also tightened its travel warning for the region: it advised against any travel to Almaty and the Almatin area for the duration of the state of emergency. Berlin had previously advised against non-essential trips to Kazakhstan.
Source From: Stern
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