Raise oil prices up to the internet deadlock: What you should know about the riots in Kazakhstan

Russian media have said on January 6th that the first troops of the Organisation of Collective Security Treaty (CSTO) have started operating in Kazakhstan, while an unprecedented wave of protests has erupted.

The Moscow-based CSTO constitutes a military alliance of several former Soviet Union states.

The news agency, Ria Novosti, has said on January 6th that peacekeeping forces have entered this Central Asian state.

Russia's state news agency, TASS, has also reported on this.

Kazakhstan police have said some protesters are “eliminated” overnight in the largest city of state, Almati, when they have attempted to enter administrative buildings, while national riots have escalated.

Why the Protests?

The wave of protests has erupted in the western region, Mangystau four days ago because of the sudden increase in liquid gas, which is used for cars in the oil-rich state.

Protests have soon spread to towns and towns throughout Kazakhstan, including other disappointments.

Armenian Prime Minister Nicole Pasinian has said he will send members of the Organisation of the Collective Security Treaty (CSTO) to eliminate the unprecedented wave of unrest in this Central Asian state.

Toqaev blames “gangs trained from outside”

Pasianan, who currently heads this organisation, has said on January 5th that the decision to send forces has been taken in response to Kazakh President Sasym-Zhomart Toqaev's request.

Toqaev has blamed gangs <x0 terrorist” trained from abroad for reported violence.

He has fired Government on January 5th and declared a state of emergency, as thousands of anti-government protesters have clashed with police and entered government buildings.

Angry protesters, some of whom have had rubber sticks and shields, have started fire at the town's mayor's office on January 5th.

In this city protesters have also taken control of the airport, and as a result, all flights have been temporarily suspended.

The Interior Ministry has claimed that eight national guards and policemen have been killed, and 317 people have been injured during the riots in this state, but without offering details.

The incidents that have been published on social networks have shown several troops of protesters on the streets.

Radio Free Europe has failed to verify the authenticity of materials as independent.

Internet Blocked

Police have been involved in riots with protesters, using tear gas and rubber bullets as an attempt to disperse the crowd, but this has not been achieved.

Communication observers have reported on <x0) national scale” of Internet blocking, until Radio Free Europe journalists have said Internet and telephone services have deteriorated significantly.

As a sign to distance himself from the past, Toqaev has removed his predecessor, 81-year-old Nursultan Nazarbaev, from the council's strong position for national security.

Nazarbaev has restored some of the authority since he resigned from the president's post in 2019, after three decades in power.

Some protesters have pointed to him for most of the problems in this country, until protesters in the town of Taldiqorhan, the capital of the Almati region, have fallen the statue of Nazarbaev on January 5th.

Violence has also been reported in the northern town of Aqtobe, where police have thrown tear gas at protesters, who have attempted to enter the regional government by force.

According to Health Department leader in the Attobe region, Rustem Isaev, 10 persons were taken from the city square by ambulance.

Among those injured are officers, three of whom are in the hospital, the Kazakh Radio Free Europe Service has reported.

One of the protesters has been seriously injured in the head and sent for intensive care.

Isaev has described his health situation gravely.

In addition, many other protesters have said they were shot with rubber bullets.

Protests have been held in other cities such as Attau, Janeiro, and Oral, where dozens of people have reported bans.

U.S. is looking closely at the crisis.

U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price has said that the United States is looking closely at the situation in Kazakhstan, and that this state is referred to as the valid “parter”.

Price has said the US condemns violence and property damage.

He has called on both sides to find a peaceful solution.

White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki has said that the United States supports “peace calls” and has said protesters should have the option “to peacefully express”.

The neighboring countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan have said that they are looking closely and anxious about this situation. /rel/