Kazakhstan: dozens killed and thousands injured on the fifth day of protests | Russia and its allies sent troops to confront the protesters

Tens killed and thousands injured and detained in Almaty, the largest city in Kazakhstan, crowned the fifth day of a protests that exploded against andl increase in the price of gas. As the hours passed, the demonstrations turned into a generalized rejection of the government, which responded with a “anti-terrorist operation” supported by Russian military forces that began landing Thursday in this hydrocarbon-rich former Soviet republic.

Gunfire was heard in central Almaty, with government buildings burned down and shops looted. Kazakh President Kassym Jomart Tokayev, asked for help to combat what he defined as a rise of “terrorist groups”, whom he accused of having received “training abroad.” Neighboring Russia and its allies in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) announced the dispatch of the first contingent of a “collective peacekeeping force” to Kazakhstan.

To try to stop the crisis, the government announced that it would impose a limit on fuel prices that will apply for 180 days. He also ordered the resignation of the entire cabinet, although it had no effect. This is the largest mobilization in decades in this country that was governed from 1989 to 2019 by Nursultan Nazarbayev, considered the mentor of the current president.

The Tokayev government imposed a curfew and declared a state of emergency across the country. There is a blockage of signals in cell phones and cuts in Internet service. The airports of Almaty, Aktobe and Aktau and the capital Nursultan have remained without operating since the cancellation of the flights on Wednesday.

The riots have left dozens of protesters dead, according to police, while more than 1,000 people were injured and about 400 are hospitalized. According to the government, cited by Russian agencies, 18 members of the security forces were killed and 748 wounded.

The European Union (EU) expressed “concern” about the situation and the United States called a “peaceful” solution.. For her part, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, urged all parties to “refrain from violence.”

Kazakhstan is a key ally of Russia, but it also seeks to have fluid relations with the West and with China. It is a major oil and gas exporter, which is why it has signed contracts with energy giants such as Chevron of the United States.

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