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After several days of unprecedented popular revolt in this authoritarian Central Asian country, the President of Kazakhstan said in a televised address on Friday that he had authorized the police to open fire “without warning” on the demonstrators and promised “elimination” of “armed bandits”.
Fire at will at Kazakhstan. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced on Friday (January 7th) that he would authorize the police to open fire “without warning” to put an end to to the chaotic riots that shake the country.
“I gave the order to shoot to kill without warning,” Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said in a televised address, adding that “terrorists continue to damage property and use weapons against citizens”.
The head of state also ruled out any possibility of negotiation with the protesters and promised “the elimination” of “armed bandits”.
Their liquidation “will be done soon,” he added. According to him, the country’s largest city, Almaty, was attacked by “20,000 bandits” with a “clear plan” and a “high level of combat readiness”.
He said that “it is the free media and some people abroad who are playing the role of instigator” of this crisis.
Earlier today, the presidency assured that order had largely been “restored” in the country after several days of unprecedented unrest.
“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 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.
Presence of Russian troops
Kassim-Jomart Tokayev said that troops dispatched by Russia and other neighboring states had arrived in the country at his request and that their presence, aimed at guaranteeing security, would only be temporary. The President also thanked his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, as well as the Chinese, Uzbek and Turkish leaders, for their support in the repression of the protest.
“I especially thank Russian President Vladimir Poutine. He responded very quickly, and above all in a friendly manner, to my appeal,” said the President of Kazakhstan.
The violence, which left dozens dead and more than a thousand injured, continued Thursday with gunfire heard in the center of the country’s main city, which bore the scars of the clashes. A total of 18 members of the security forces were killed and 748 injured. Around 3,000 people were arrested.
The largest country in Central Asia is shaken by a protest that erupted Sunday in the west after a rise in gas prices before reaching the economic capital Almaty, where the demonstrations turned into a riot against the power, protesters seizing official buildings.
The situation in Kazakhstan, a country of about 19 million inhabitants, rich in natural resources, is of concern to the international community.
The UN on Thursday called on all parties to “refrain from all violence” and Washington called on the Kazakh government for a “peaceful solution”.
With Archyde.com and AFP
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