JAKARTA - A Russian-led military alliance said it would send peacekeepers to "stabilize" Kazakhstan, blaming mass protests for plunging the once-Soviet country into chaos due to outside interference.
Long considered one of Central Asia's most stable countries, energy-rich Kazakhstan is facing its biggest crisis in decades, after protesters angry over rising fuel prices stormed government buildings.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said in a speech to his people he had submitted an application to the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), to fight what he called "terrorist groups" who had "received extensive training abroad".
It is known, the CSTO itself is an alliance consisting of Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. CSTO's request was responded to by Kazakhstan.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan who currently serves as Chair of the CSTO said on Facebook, the alliance will send a collective peacekeeping force for a limited period of time, to stabilize and normalize the situation in the country caused by outside interference," quoted The National News January 6th. .
Meanwhile, President Tokayev said 'terrorist; seize buildings, infrastructure and 'places where small arms are located'. He also said they had seized five planes at the airport in the country's largest city Almaty, and the Kazakh Air Force was in heavy fighting near the city.
"I intend to act as strong as possible. Together we will overcome this black period in the history of Kazakhstan," stressed President Tokayev.
In Almaty on Wednesday night, hundreds of protesters, some wearing helmets, gathered in the city center and paraded police vehicles draped in Kazakh flags, AFP reported.
Videos on social media showed protesters seizing weapons, while others showed mostly empty streets with explosions and automatic gunfire in the background, after local authorities announced the start of an "anti-terrorist" operation.
Kazakhstan has been rocked by violent protests that have spread across the country of 19 million, over rising prices for fuel and liquefied petroleum gas, widely used in New Year's.
Thousands of people took to the streets in Almaty and in the western province of Mangystau, saying the price hikes were unfair given the huge energy reserves of oil and gas exporter Kazakhstan.
After a night of unrest in which more than 200 people were detained, several thousand protesters stormed the mayor's office in Almaty on Wednesday afternoon and appeared to have taken control of the building.
Police fired stun grenades and tear gas into the crowd, some armed with batons and shields confiscated from police, but were unable to prevent them from entering the building, AFP reported.
Local media said protesters then set their sights on the president's residence in Almaty, which, along with the mayor's office, reportedly caught fire. Meanwhile, Kazakh media reported that at least eight police officers and soldiers were killed in the riots, including two while cleaning the airport.
The full picture of the chaos is still emerging after authorities disrupted communications for several hours on Wednesday, including a nationwide internet shutdown, the blocking of online messaging services and the cut off of cell phone services.
Yesterday, President Tokayev tried to prevent further unrest by announcing the resignation of the government led by Prime Minister Askar Mamin on Wednesday morning.
He said he took over as head of the security council from Nazarbayev, a surprising move given the former president's continued influence.
As protests escalated, the government late Wednesday said the state of emergency declared in protest-hit areas would be extended nationwide and in effect until January 19. This includes imposing curfews, restricting movement and banning mass gatherings.
Separately, Moscow, a close ally of Kazakhstan, calls for a peaceful solution through dialogue, not through street riots and lawlessness. Meanwhile, the European Union and United Nations called on all parties to exercise restraint, with Washington urging authorities to allow protesters to "express themselves peacefully."
To note, the Government of Kazakhstan tolerates little real opposition and has been accused of silencing independent voices. Spontaneous, unsanctioned protests are illegal, despite a 2020 law easing some restrictions on freedom of assembly.
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