BAKU, Azerbaijan, Jan. 8
Trend:
Six armed criminals were liquidated in Kazakhstan’s Taraz city, the operational headquarters of Zhambyl region said, Trend reports referring to Kazinform.
According to the operational headquarters, 69 provocateurs were detained, and a number of terror attacks was prevented.
“Five police officers were injured and over 100 operations vehicles were damaged. Eleven checkpoints were put up in the regional center. At least four attacks on checkpoints were prevented in the past day,” the operational headquarters said.
“The operation to identify and detain members of armed groups continues. Over 2,000 police officers, the National Security Committee personnel, military personnel of the "South" regional command, and more than 100 units of equipment are involved in the operation,” added the operational headquarters.
Kazakhstan's government announced late Jan. 4 that it was restoring some price caps on liquefied petroleum gas, after the rare protests reached Almaty following a sharp rise in the price of the fuel at the start of the year.
Many Kazakhs have converted their cars to run on LPG, which is far cheaper than gasoline as a vehicle fuel in Kazakhstan because of price caps. But the government argued that the low price was unsustainable and lifted the caps on Jan. 1.
After the price of the fuel spiked, big demonstrations erupted on Jan. 2 in certain parts of the country. Public protests are illegal in the country unless their organizers file a notice in advance.
Following the development of the situation, the government declared a state of emergency all over the country. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said the government initiated anti-terrorist operations to deal with the ongoing riots.
Also, the divisions of the united peacekeeping contingent of CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization) arrived in Kazakhstan to assist in restoring order and help protect strategic objects of the country.