Russia sends airborne troops to Kazakhstan to quell protests that leave many dead

Russia and its allies from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), an ex-Soviet military alliance, have begun deploying their troops in Kazakhstan to quell the unrest that has shaken the country for several days, where clashes between the Army and protesters have caused “dozens of deaths.”

“In correspondence to the decision of the CSTO Collective Security Council approved on January 6, it was sent to Kazakhstan for a limited period of time a peace contingent (…) in order to stabilize and normalize the situation “, the OTSC reported, cited by Interfax.

LOOK: The reasons behind the massive protests in Kazakhstan why Putin has sent troops to support the government

The main mission of these forces, according to this alliance, will be “The protection of important state and military objectives, support for law enforcement officers Kazakhstan to stabilize the situation and promote its return to the legal framework ”.

The first contingent to reach Kazakhstan it was the Russian, made up of Airborne Troops units, which according to the OTSC, “they already fulfill the designated missions ”.

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The intense clashes in Almaty They remained throughout the night, with a balance of “dozens” of protesters killed, according to the spokeswoman for the city police, Saltanat Azirbek, who referred to an “antiterrorist operation”.

“Dozens of attackers were killed. We establish their identities “, it indicated, without specifying the exact number, said the police spokeswoman quoted by Interfaz-Kazakhstan.

The police representative indicated that groups of armed protesters attempted to seize three administrative buildings overnight, the police department of Almaty, as well as several regional police units, but that the forces of order prevented it.

According to local media, machine gun bursts are heard in the city and in social networks users report that both the police and the military as well as the protesters are armed.

Russian military vehicles waiting to be loaded onto a military plane to depart for Kazakhstan. (AFP).

The state television channel Jabar 24 reported today, citing the Interior Ministry, that the “antiterrorist operation” is being hampered “As terrorists use civilians, including women, for cover.”

“The entity ensures that law enforcement officers do everything possible to guarantee the safety of the population”, indicated the channel.

In addition, Jabar 24 denounced that the armed protesters surrounded two hospitals in Almaty and prevented the passage of ambulances with patients requiring treatment and medical personnel.

The day before the authorities reported the death of at least 10 uniformed men during the riots and the fighting to expel the protesters from the Almaty airport.

The president of KazakhstanKasim-Yomart Tokáyev requested on Wednesday night help from the CSTO to put an end to the massive riots, which he described as a “terrorist threat”.

The president pointed out that “terrorist gangs” had staged riots in several Kazakh cities, and particularly in Almaty, the country’s largest city, where protesters seized various government buildings, including the mayor’s office, the president’s residence and the airport.

The demonstrations were unleashed on January 2 in response to the increase in the prices of liquefied gas, the main automotive fuel used in this Central Asian nation, but led to riots on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the seizure of administrative headquarters and serious acts of vandalism. .

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