BAKU, Azerbaijan, Jan. 11
Trend:
The employees of the Border Service of the Kazakh National Security Committee detained 366 people suspected of participation in riots, the press service of the National Security Committee said, Trend reports with reference to TASS.
“The territorial subdivisions of the Border Service detained 366 people suspected of participating in riots, independently and as part of joint groups with the representatives of the law enforcement agencies since the beginning of the counter-terrorist operation,” the message said. “Six of them were injured while resisting."
According to the message, the units of the Border Service are in constant combat readiness, border is being protected intensively.
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.