© Archyde.com / Mariya Gordeyeva
Dozens of troops in the main square of Almaty, the largest city in Kazakhstan, where hundreds of people protest once morest the government, on January 6, 2022.
A series of strong explosions occurred on January 6 in Almaty, the largest city in Kazakhstan, a day following protests once morest the increase in the price of fuel caused the government to resign. Meanwhile, Russian troops began their deployment on Kazakh soil to curb the violence and the European Union warned that it is “vigilant” in the presence of foreign military personnel.
Explosions, gunfire and violent riots cover Almaty, the former capital of Kazakhstan, and the country’s largest city.
Strong detonations that would have left more fatalities were registered in the central square of the city in the last hours, according to the Russian news agency TASS.
“We are fleeing, from the square very loud explosions are heard,” said a witness, who added that the police threatened to start shooting.
The city’s airport, seized the day before by protesters, came under the control of military personnel. However, the violence does not stop.
This January 6, hundreds of protesters also set fire to several buildings and vehicles, while the Army is deployed in the streets and Internet service has been interrupted for the second day in a row.
“Dozens of attackers were killed”
The deaths of 12 police officers and dozens of protesters were confirmed by the authorities in the early hours of the day. Among them, an officer who was beheaded, posing a growing challenge to the government considered authoritarian in the Central Asian nation.
“Dozens of attackers were killed,” Police spokeswoman Saltanat Azirbek told the state news channel Khabar-24 on Wednesday, January 5, using a common term to describe the killing of people believed to be extremists.
In addition, 353 people were injured, according to city officials quoted by local press.
On Wednesday Almaty, like Astana, the capital, and other localities, captured international attention in the face of scenes of violence that included the irruption of hundreds of people in the presidential residence and in the office of the mayor of the largest city in the country.
But strong protests have been unleashed since January 1, following the government stopped controlling fuel prices, which doubled the price of liquefied gas, highly used for most vehicles in the oil-rich nation.
While this was the trigger for the worst riots in Kazakhstan since it gained independence from the Soviet Union three decades ago, the rapid spread of the protests reflects widespread discontent in the country that has been under the control of the same political party since it broke. it separated from the then federal state of socialist republics.
Russia deploys troops to Kazakhstan and EU warns it is “vigilant”
Although President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev initially appeared to try to appease the protesters, he later promised tough measures to quell the unrest, which he blamed on what he called “terrorist gangs” and appealed to the former Soviet military alliance Security Treaty Organization for help. Collective (CSTO), led by Russia.
Following the president’s request, Moscow and the CSTO quickly began deploying troops on Kazakh soil to quell the unrest as part of a “peacekeeping” mission, with which they hope to help the head of state regain control of the country. , as reported by Russian news agencies.
The military alliance is also made up of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
It is not yet clear how many total soldiers will be dispatched or how long they will remain in the nation. Russian deputy Leonid Kalashnikov assured that the troops would stay “as long as the president of Kazakhstan deems it necessary” and added that they would focus mainly on protecting “infrastructure”.
From now on its presence generates concern. The European Union pointed out that the arrival of foreign soldiers should be “carefully watched” and called on the CSTO to respect sovereignty.
“We hope that the presence of international forces does not undermine the independence of Kazakhstan,” said the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell.
The current events in Kazakhstan come at a time when all eyes were on a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine, following a considerable increase in troops on the border.
Two countries with an increasing discord since Moscow annexed the then Ukrainian province of Crimea in 2014 and in the face of recent attempts by Kiev to join both NATO and the European Union, which has unleashed the fury of the Kremlin.
Kazakhstan is part of an economic union with Russia and the two countries also share a long border.
With Archyde.com, AP, EFE and local media
