Police officers and soldiers are killed in protests against high gas prices in Kazakhstan. The military intervenes, President Tokayev asks Russia for help. The news ticker.
- Kazakhstan crisis: Due to the sharp rise in liquefied gas prices, demonstrations have broken out in many cities (see first report).
- After violent riots, head of state Kassym-Shomart Tokayev asked a Russian-led military alliance for help (see update from January 5, 10:24 p.m.).
- According to the Kazakh authorities, “dozens of attackers have been eliminated” (see update from January 6th, 8.50 a.m.).
- This News ticker on the situation in Kazakhstan is continuously updated.
Update from January 6th, 3:45 p.m .: According to official information from the authorities, around 2,000 people were arrested during the protests in Kazakhstan in the city of Almaty alone. The arrests continued, the Central Asian country’s police said, according to the news agency Tengrinews With. It was initially unclear how many people were taken into custody across the country.
In the past few days there have been particularly violent riots in the economic metropolis of Almaty in the southeast of the ex-Soviet republic. The Interior Ministry said at least 13 police officers and soldiers were killed. How many civilians died was unclear. The authoritarian-led Kazakhstan has been experiencing unprecedented protests for days. The trigger for the unrest that broke out over the weekend was displeasure at the significantly higher fuel prices at petrol stations in the ex-Soviet republic, which is rich in oil and gas. In response, the government was also fired.
A spokeswoman for EU foreign affairs officer Josep Borrell said in Brussels that violence, vandalism and looting are condemned. At the same time, they regret the loss of human life. The violence must come to an end. All those involved are called upon to show restraint and find a peaceful solution.
Gas price crisis in Kazakhstan: German government advises against traveling to the country
Update from January 6th, 3:35 p.m .: The German government advises against traveling to the Republic of Kazakhstan, which has been shaken by serious unrest. The Foreign Office also announced on Thursday that the German Consulate General in the economic metropolis of Almaty in the south-east of the country would remain closed until further notice. Consular support is only possible via the embassy in the capital Nur-Sultan (formerly: Astana).
The authoritarian-led country in Central Asia has been experiencing unprecedented protests for days. The trigger was resentment at the significantly increased fuel prices at the petrol stations in the oil and gas-rich ex-Soviet republic with more than 18 million inhabitants. In response to the protests, some of which were violent, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev dismissed the government. A Russian-led military alliance has meanwhile sent its first soldiers.
Gas price crisis in Kazakhstan: Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan send soldiers
Update from January 6th, 11.30 a.m .: China sees the unrest in its neighboring country Kazakhstan as an “internal matter”. “We are confident that the authorities can adequately deal with the situation,” said Foreign Office spokesman Wang Wenbin to the press in Beijing. “We hope that the situation will stabilize and normal social order will be restored.”
Kazakhstan and China cultivated a comprehensive strategic partnership, the spokesman emphasized. In his brief statement, Wang Wenbin did not address the dispatch of soldiers from Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the Central Asian country.
In the meantime, the Kazakh media reported on state television that there were further deaths among security forces in the country. Accordingly, 13 security forces were killed in the city of Almaty. Two bodies were found beheaded, the reports said. There was still no clear official information on possible civilian deaths.
Update from January 6th, 9:40 a.m .: More than 1,000 people were injured in the serious riots in Kazakhstan, the country’s health ministry said according to the Kazakh media. 400 people were taken to hospitals. Of these, 62 would have to be treated in intensive care units. No information was given on the fatalities. It is feared that since Tuesday (January 4th) ongoing riots many people were killed.
Escalation in Kazakhstan: Police kill dozen of demonstrators – Putin intervenes
Update from January 6th, 8:50 am: Rioting in Kazakhstan’s economic metropolis Almaty has reportedly resulted in dozen deaths. People would have on Thursday night (6th January) tried to storm various police buildings, the Kazakh television channel Khabar 24 quoted a spokesman for the Ministry of Interior, as the Russian state agency Tass reported. “Dozens of attackers were eliminated”. Their identities would now be determined.
So far, the authorities have officially confirmed only eight killed police officers and soldiers. The authorities have not yet provided any information on the deaths of civilians. However, Almaty hospitals reported 53 civilians injured, while opposition sources reported four protesters dead. Recordings by the Russian state agency Tass previously showed a group of security forces in Almaty firing shots in the direction of the demonstrators. Around 300 soldiers with armored vehicles were therefore relocated to the central square.
In view of the unrest, Russia has now relocated soldiers to the Central Asian country. Paratroopers were dispatched as part of a peacekeeping force, reported several Russian state agencies unanimously, citing the Organization of the Collective Security Treaty (CSTO). The soldiers were sent for a “limited time” “to stabilize and normalize the situation,” Tass quoted the CSTO as saying.
Gas price crisis in Kazakhstan: unprecedented unrest – fight near Almaty
Update from January 5th, 10:24 p.m .: In the face of unprecedented unrest in his country, Kazakhstan’s head of state Kassym-Shomart Tokayev has asked a Russian-led military alliance for help, reports the AFP. He had asked the heads of state of the states allied in the Organization of the Collective Security Treaty (CSTO) to support Kazakhstan “in overcoming this terrorist threat,” said Tokayev in a televised address on Thursday night. In addition to Russia, five other ex-Soviet republics belong to the CSTO. The current situation is “no longer just a threat,” said Tokayev on state television. Rather, the situation undermines “the integrity of the state”.
Tokayev accused “terrorist groups” of being behind the protests and of “rioting”, looting shops and “attacking women” across the country. The groups were “trained” abroad. “They are seizing buildings and public infrastructure, and most importantly, they are seizing places with small arms,” Tokayev continued. In the meantime, people have managed to gain control of five aircraft at Almaty Airport. “There is currently a battle going on near Almaty with the participation of the armed forces of the Ministry of Defense,” Tojakev said. The country’s most violent riots took place in Almaty (see first report.)
First report from January 5th: Almaty – The military intervened after violent riots in Kazakhstan in Central Asia. “Terrorist gangs” had fought a fight with paratroopers in the city of Almaty, said President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in a televised address on Thursday night. The city’s airport in the southeast of the authoritarian republic has been “liberated”, reported the Kazakh media, citing the deputy mayor of Almaty, Edzhan Babakumarov. A “special operation” has started.
Riots in Kazakhstan over the rise in gas prices: protesters occupy the airport
According to the media, a crowd occupied the airport on Wednesday afternoon. Several airlines then canceled flights to Almaty. Tokayev also said in his address that he had asked the Russian-led military alliance Organization of the Collective Security Treaty for help. The riots that broke out over the weekend are “not a threat, but an undermining of the integrity of the state”.
The unprecedented protests in Kazakhstan, in which, according to the authorities, at least eight police officers and soldiers have so far been killed, broke out out of displeasure at the significantly higher prices for liquefied gas at filling stations. Many Kazakhs use liquefied petroleum gas because it is cheaper than gasoline.
Violent riots across the country – Almaty city administration stormed
The ex-Soviet republic was plunged into a serious political crisis. The government resigned on Wednesday. A state of emergency has been declared across the country. There were particularly violent riots in Almaty. In the economic metropolis, demonstrators stormed the city administration and Tokayev’s residence.
In Kazakhstan, which was ruled by the ruler Nursultan Nazarbayev for decades, it is the largest wave of protests in years. The country with more than 18 million inhabitants borders among others on Russia and China *. It is rich in oil and gas reserves. The republic is also one of the largest uranium producers in the world. Nevertheless, Kazakhstan is struggling with mismanagement and poverty. How many thousands of people took part in the protests was unclear. In the meantime, the Internet has been switched off – presumably to make new meetings more difficult. Several television stations stopped operating. (dpa) * Merkur.de / bayern is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA
#Kazakhstan #News #Media #reports #beheaded #security #forces