On Thursday night (local time) the military intervened.
(Photo: Reuters)
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 (local time).
The city’s airport has been liberated, Kazakh media reported, citing the deputy mayor of Almaty, Appeared Babakumarov. A “special operation” has started.
According to media reports, the airport had announced on Wednesday afternoon that the airport had been evacuated and the employees had left the site. The reason is that a crowd has occupied the building. 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. It is “not a threat, but an undermining of the integrity of the state”.
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Nationwide protests have plunged the ex-Soviet republic into a serious political crisis. The government resigned on Wednesday. A state of emergency was declared in the authoritarian country. There were particularly violent riots in the economic metropolis of Almaty. Protesters stormed the city administration and the Tokayev residence.
The protests were triggered by the increased energy prices.
(Photo: Reuters)
The situation was initially confusing. There were no exact numbers of victims. In any case, it is the largest wave of protests in years in the former Soviet republic, which was ruled for decades by the ruler Nursultan Nazarbayev.
The country with more than 18 million inhabitants borders among others with 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.
The riots have spread to several cities in the country.
(Photo: imago images / ITAR-TASS)
How many thousands of people took part in the protests was unclear. The internet was shut down – presumably to make new meetings more difficult. Several television stations stopped operating.
On Wednesday, Tokayev addressed the people with a speech. He said: “The situation threatens the safety of all citizens of Almaty. That cannot be tolerated. ”The security forces would act“ as hard as possible ”. The president also spoke of fatalities in the riots.
The protest started over the weekend. The trigger was the significant increase in the prices for liquefied gas at the filling stations. Many Kazakhs use liquefied petroleum gas because it is cheaper than gasoline.
Kazakhstan government resigns after violent protests
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