Dozens of Russian planes have dropped large numbers of soldiers to support the government in Kazakhstan over the protests. While the President of this country, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, ordered today, Friday, to shoot those he called saboteurs, China and several international parties expressed their support for the government. For its part, the United States said it is closely monitoring the situation.
Reuters quoted the Russian Defense Ministry that more than 70 aircraft landed today “peacekeeping forces” in Kazakhstan. And the Russian Information Agency stated yesterday – quoting the Collective Security Treaty Organization (a military alliance of former Soviet republics) – that the force will include a total of about 2,500 personnel, and it will remain in Kazakhstan for days or weeks, and will leave as soon as its mission ends.
The organization added that the task of this force is not to suppress the protesters, but rather to help Kazakhstan protect vital installations, stressing that the events in this country are a real threat to the security and sovereignty of the state.
The Kazakh authorities said earlier that a peacekeeping force of the Collective Security Treaty Organization – which Tokayev had requested this week – is currently arriving in the country, but it is not participating in the fighting or “eliminating the militants”. The government added that this Moscow force would provide cover and perform a security mission.
Today, Tokayev stated that he had issued orders to shoot to kill to counter any further disturbances caused by “bandits and terrorists”. He added that the constitutional order has been mostly restored, following clashes that resulted from protests over fuel prices, while today Russian military planes landed forces in support of the Kazakh authorities.
In a speech broadcast on state television, the Kazakh president said, “Nearly 20,000 bandits attacked Almaty, the country’s largest city and destroyed state property,” stressing that he had ordered law enforcement and the army to “shoot to kill without warning,” expressing his refusal to hold any talks with The protesters, describing them as criminals and murderers.
“The forces establishing order are making unremitting efforts, and constitutional order has been largely restored in all regions,” Tokayev said in a statement, stressing that operations to restore order will continue until the militants are completely eliminated. property of the citizens.
On the other hand, state television reported that President Tokayev will address his compatriots today.
The Ministry of the Interior said that “26 armed criminals were liquidated and more than 3,000 others were arrested,” and all administrative and municipal buildings in all cities were “cleansed”, and 70 checkpoints were formed across the country. The ministry added that 18 police and National Guard personnel were killed, in addition to the injury of about 750 others.
spark confrontations
The confrontations between the security forces and demonstrators took place after unprecedented protests erupted last Sunday, due to the increase in fuel prices at the beginning of this year, and then the protests intensified the day before yesterday when protesters stormed public buildings – in areas including Almaty, the country’s largest city – and set them on fire, chanting slogans against Former President Nursultan Nazarbayev, accusing his family and allies of amassing wealth at a time when the country of 19 million people is impoverished.
Internet services were cut off, and banks stopped working in most parts of the country.
This morning, Reuters reporters saw armored personnel carriers and soldiers in the main square in Almaty, where soldiers shot at protesters the day before.
Hundreds of meters away, agency reporters saw a body in a badly damaged civilian car, and in another part of town they saw a looted ammunition store. Reporters also saw military vehicles and about 100 people in uniform in another square in Almaty.
On the other hand, the prominent Kazakh opposition figure residing in France, Mukhtar Ablyazov, said that the ruling regime in his country was “nearing its end in a popular revolution in which people united for the first time to express their anger.” Ablyazov – a former energy minister – added in an interview with the French press agency that a military intervention led by Russia constitutes an “occupation” and urges the Kazakhs to stand up to foreign forces.
Russian military transport planes are preparing to transport troops to Kazakhstan to support the authorities in facing the unrest (Anatolia)
international positions
Russia said that what is happening in Kazakhstan is a foreign-backed attempt to undermine security, and the Russian Foreign Ministry said that it supports a peaceful solution in this country to all problems within the framework of the law and through dialogue, and not through street protests and violation of the law. Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said today that his country is confident in the ability of this great neighbor to deal with its problems.
Meanwhile, the US Secretary of State – in a call with his Kazakh counterpart Mukhtar Telebirdi – renewed the United States’ full support for Kazakhstan’s constitutional institutions and media freedom, and called for a peaceful solution to the crisis that respects rights.
However, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said that the administration of President Joe Biden is monitoring the situation in Kazakhstan. It is also closely monitoring reports that the Collective Security Treaty Organization has sent troops to this country.
Saki added – in her daily press statement – that there are questions about the nature of these forces, and the legality of their deployment, noting that the situation in Kazakhstan will not affect the talks with Moscow, which are scheduled for next Monday.
As for China’s position, the Foreign Ministry spokesman said that these events are an internal affair and that the authorities there are able to deal with them appropriately.
Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan confirmed data on 26 killed and 18 wounded armed criminals https://t.co/wmtpChJ0iq pic.twitter.com/R1V0ehc8Ga
– RIA Novosti (@rianru) January 7, 2022
For its part, the United Nations called on all parties to exercise restraint, avoid violence and encourage dialogue.
Britain – through its Foreign Minister Liz Truss – expressed grave concern about the unrest in Kazakhstan, and said that her government was closely monitoring the situation.
For its part, France called on all parties to exercise restraint, and Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said that these events are worrying.
As for the European Union, it expressed its “deep concern” about the turmoil in Kazakhstan, considering that Moscow’s sending of foreign military support to this country “reminds me of situations that should be avoided.”
In Germany, the government yesterday recommended its citizens not to travel to Kazakhstan in light of the current unrest, at a time when Turkish Airlines canceled its scheduled flights to Kazakhstan until Sunday, the ninth of January.
Yesterday, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation expressed its deep concern about the violence in Kazakhstan, calling for its rejection.