MOSCOW: Kazakhstan’s president said on Friday he authorized law enforcement to shoot and kill “terrorists”, a move that comes after days of extremely violent protests in the former Soviet nation.
In a televised address to the nation, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev accused “terrorists” and “extremists” of the unrest and said they had authorized the use of deadly force against them.
“Those who do not surrender will be eliminated,” Tokayev said.
He called calls for talks with protesters made by some other countries “nonsense”. “What conversations can be had with the criminals, the killers?” Tokayev said.
Kazakhstan’s Interior Ministry said on Friday that 26 protesters were killed, 18 were injured and more than 3,000 people were detained during the unrest. A total of 18 law enforcement officers were also killed, and more than 700 were injured.
Kazakhstan is facing its worst street protests since the country gained independence three decades ago. Demonstrations began at the nearly doubling of prices for one type of vehicle fuel and spread across the country, reflecting widespread discontent over the same party’s rule since independence.
The protests have turned violent, with government buildings set on fire and hundreds of protesters and more than a dozen law enforcement officers killed. Internet has been shut down across the country, and two airports have been closed, one in the country’s largest city, Almaty.
In a concession, the government on Thursday announced a 180-day price limit on vehicle fuels and a moratorium on increase in utility rate. Tokayev has fluctuated between trying to pacify protesters, including accepting the resignation of his government, and promising drastic measures to end the unrest, which he blames on a “terrorist band”.
Seen as one such measure, the president called on a Russia-led military coalition for help.
The coalition, the Collective Security Treaty Organization, includes the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Belarus, Armenia, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan and has begun deploying troops to Kazakhstan for peacekeeping missions.
Kazakh officials have insisted that the soldiers will not fight the protesters, but will guard government institutions.
On Friday, Tokayev announced that constitutional order was “mainly restored in all regions of the country” and that “local authorities are in control of the situation.”
The president said, however, that “terrorists are still using weapons and harming people’s property” and that “anti-terrorist action” should be continued.
Clashes also took place in Almaty on Friday morning. Russia’s state news agency Tass reported that the fire broke out in a building occupied by the Kazakh branch of the Mir broadcaster, funded by several former Soviet states.
However, Almaty airport – previously attacked and seized by protesters – is back under the control of Kazakh law enforcement and CSTO peacekeepers, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov said on Friday. Local TV station Khabar 24 quoted airport spokespersons as saying the airport would remain closed until Friday evening.
Some things started returning to normal in other parts of the country. In the capital Nur-Sultan, internet access has been partially restored, and train traffic has resumed throughout Kazakhstan.
News 24 reported that the airport in the capital was operating as usual. According to the TV channel, airlines will resume domestic flights to the cities of Shymkent, Turkestan and Atrau, as well as flights to Moscow and Dubai starting at 3 pm (0900 GMT).
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