Russian-led Coalition Troops Begin Withdrawn, Vital Facilities Handed Over To Kazakh Officials

JAKARTA - The Russian-led military coalition began pulling its troops out of Kazakhstan on Thursday, after a week of helping restore and maintain security in the country after protests over fuel price hikes turned violent.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev sought help from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) last week, as violence gripped half the country, while he fired several of his senior security officials who were later charged with treason.

This week, authorities said they had stabilized the situation and completed what they called an "anti-terrorist operation" across much of the country, with its largest city Almaty an exception.

"Thank you, thanks to your arrival, the Kazakh military and security forces were able to carry out their immediate task of finding and detaining the bandits," Kazakh Deputy Defense Minister Mukhamedzhan Talasov told CSTO troops departing on Thursday, citing Reuters January 13.

The alliance said on Wednesday that the peacekeeping contingent would take 10 days to fully withdraw. Along with this move, vital facilities that were originally under the care of coalition forces, were returned to Kazakh law enforcement.

"In accordance with the plan, which was developed by the command of the collective peacekeeping forces of the CSTO and the Ministry of Defense of Kazakhstan, (the peacekeeping forces) have begun the handing over of socially important facilities to national law enforcement," the Russian Ministry of Defense said, as reported by TASS, adding that peacekeepers also preparing vehicles and equipment for loading on transport aircraft of the Russian Air Force.

Peacekeeping units that have completed their missions are preparing to return to their permanent deployment locations.

"The return of the CSTO peacekeepers to their home countries will be organized in cooperation with the Kazakh side," the ministry added.

For information, citing the website of the Russian Ministry of Defense, the military strength of the CSTO peacekeeping force includes 70 Il-76 aircraft and 5 An-124 aircraft for troop shifts.

The Russian peacekeeping forces include the 45th separate brigade unit of the special forces of the Airborne Forces, the 98th air division of the Airborne Forces, and the 31st separate brigade of the Airborne Forces.

In addition to Russia, the CSTO peacekeeping contingent in Kazakhstan also includes military contingents of Belarus, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia. The CSTO coalition force is led by the Commander of the Russian Airborne Forces Colonel General Andrei Serdyukov.