Kazakhstan Breaking News: Tokayev Says Authorities Will React Toughly To Actions Of Terrorists

For the first time in the last week, no footage of night pogroms and robberies has come from Almaty. But in the center of the city, a firefight is heard. This is the security forces carrying out a special operation. The clashes continue. Bandits have barricaded themselves in the office of the Mir TV company. Now they are shooting back from the police. The day before, the President's Almaty residence was liberated from the invaders. Already all administrative buildings have practically passed under the control of the authorities. About three thousand people were detained. The turning point in the situation was outlined almost immediately after the transfer of the first units of the CSTO peacekeeping contingent. At the request of President Tokayev. The decision to send peacekeepers was supported by all the countries of the organization. The advance detachments of the Russian and Belarusian military have already arrived in Almaty and have begun to perform their tasks.

For almost a week Almaty was at the mercy of an angry crowd. Dozens of people were killed, thousands were injured. The protesters robbed shops and banks, and brutally beat police officers.

According to the Kazakh special services, the crowd was led by radical Islamist thugs. State media report 18 police officers killed. Two have their heads cut off. This is the well-known handwriting of terrorists from Afghanistan and Syria.

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said: the authorities will react toughly to the actions of terrorists. At the same time, all the demands of citizens, which were expressed in peaceful forms, were heard. Tokayev stressed that 20,000 bandits attacked Almaty. They used weapons, including against civilians. A single command post was involved in the preparation and leadership of the militants. The President of Kazakhstan also thanked the heads of state of the CSTO for the support of the republic.

"I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Prime Minister of Armenia, who chairs the CSTO, as well as to the Presidents of Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. I would like to express special gratitude to Russian President Vladimir Putin. He very promptly and, most importantly, in a friendly manner reacted warmly to my appeal.

I also express my gratitude to the President of the PRC, the presidents of Uzbekistan, Turkey, the leaders of the UN and other international organizations for their words of support," Tokayev noted.