Many people have been killed during violent protests in Kazakhstan that saw fires break out in several government buildings that were broken into.
Dozens of protesters and 12 police officers, including one who had been beheaded, were among the many people reported dead as protests continued across the country, according to ABC News. Additionally, 353 people were injured from the violence and unrest.
“Dozens of attackers were liquidated,” said Saltanat Azirbek, a police spokeswoman.
Protesters broke into multiple buildings on Wednesday, including President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s residence and the mayor’s residence, according to reports. The demonstrations continued overnight with some buildings being set ablaze.
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Protests began on Sunday in response to a rise in liquefied petroleum gas fuel prices due to price controls being lifted, the New York Times reported.
Tokayev blamed the protests on “destructive persons interested in undermining the stability and unity of our society” in a Twitter post.
Обращаюсь с просьбой к демонстрантам не следовать призывам деструктивных лиц, заинтересованных в подрыве стабильности и единства нашего общества. Другие требования социально-экономического характера будут рассмотрены отдельно, в тч в ходе завтрашнего рабочего совещания в столице.
— Qasym-Jomart Toqayev (@TokayevKZ) January 4, 2022
In an attempt to try to quell the violence, Tokayev told lawmakers to implement a bankruptcy law, which would freeze payments on utilities and subsidize rent payments, according to the Guardian. He additionally called for “socially important” goods to receive reestablished price controls.
Tokayev accepted the resignations of several Cabinet members, including the prime minister. The resignations came in response to the protests that broke out in several cities around the country.
Initially, Tokayev appeared to try to appease demands from protesters, but on Wednesday, he asked the Russian-led military alliance, the Collective Security Treaty Organization, for help, according to ABC News.
The CSTO said it would respond to Kazakhstan’s request, and Russian-led alliance troops arrive in Kazakhstan Thursday morning in a “peacekeeping” effort.
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Tokayev vowed to “act with maximum toughness” and cut internet service off in the entire country on Wednesday, according to the New York Times. Tokayev also instituted a two-week state of emergency, nightly curfews, and a ban on religious services.
