Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Friday declared that constitutional order was “mainly restored” after the unprecedented unrest in recent days.<\/p>\n
Violent clashes erupted over surging fuel prices, which saw government buildings attacked and a takeover of the airport. The violence resulted in a two-week state of emergency being declared.<\/p>\n
“An anti-terror operation has commenced. Law enforcement agencies are working hard. Constitutional order has been mainly restored in all regions of the country. Local authorities are in control of the situation,” Tokayev said in a statement.<\/p>\n
The president is due to address the nation in a televised speech later on Friday.<\/p>\n
In a Tweet, Russia’s embassy in Kazakhstan quoted the deputy head of the presidency, Dauren Abaev, as saying: “Today at 3 p.m. the president will address the nation. Law and order have now been restored in all regions. The situation is stabilized.”<\/p>\n
‘Criminals’ killed
\nIn a statement, Kazakhstan’s Interior Ministry said that “26 armed criminals were killed and 18 were injured.”<\/p>\n
Authorities said there have also been 3,000 arrests, according to state broadcaster Khabar 24, citing the interior ministry.<\/p>\n
Security has been bolstered across the country, with 70 checkpoints operating around the clock.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, authorities said 18 security personnel had been killed, including one who had been beheaded.<\/p>\n
Journalist Bruce Pannier told DW that the figures of those killed were probably far higher than the ones provided by government, and that “anti-terrorist operations” were taking place across the country.<\/p>\n
“They’re probably low after last night, the information I saw today suggested that there was what they’re calling anti-terrorist operations going on in other cities in the south, in Shymkent and also in the Kyzylorda province or oblast too. So they’re expanding their security operation. And there were deaths reported in those areas that I just mentioned, and those are just the ones that we know.”<\/p>\n
Russia-led forces arrive
\nPresident Tokayev confirmed that a peacekeeping force from the Russia-dominated Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) had arrived in Kazakhstan.<\/p>\n
“This contingent arrived for a limited period of time to carry out mainly the functions of covering and ensuring the protection of strategic facilities,” his statement said.<\/p>\n
According to the Kazakh government, CSTO forces have been arriving in the country but have not been involved in the “elimination of militants.”<\/p>\n
Moscow said this week that CSTO forces would number 2,500. The deployment came after an appeal for assistance from Tokayev.<\/p>\n
The contingent is made up of armed forces from Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.<\/p>\n
US says ‘world will be watching’
\nThe US indicated that events in Kazakhstan were not going unnoticed and that it lent full support to the country’s constitutional institutions. “The United States and, frankly, the world will be watching for any violation of human rights,” US state department spokesman Ned Price told media on Thursday.<\/p>\n
In a separate statement made by Price, he said that the US gave its “full support for Kazakhstan’s constitutional institutions and media freedom and advocated for a peaceful, rights-respecting resolution to the crisis.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Friday declared that constitutional order was “mainly restored” after the unprecedented unrest in recent days. Violent clashes erupted over surging fuel prices, which saw government buildings attacked and a takeover of the airport. The violence resulted in a two-week state of emergency being declared. “An anti-terror operation has commenced. Law […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":237403,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[2633,2703,390,2702],"class_list":{"0":"post-237398","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world","8":"tag-kazakhstan","9":"tag-law-and-order","10":"tag-president","11":"tag-restored"},"yoast_head":"\n