BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 3. During the Security Council meeting in response to the chaos in various regions in January 2022, Kazakhstan officially appealed to the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) for the deployment of a peacekeeping contingent to restore stability and ensure security, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev told local newspaper, Trend reports.
Emphasizing that the appeal was directed to the CSTO, of which Kazakhstan is a member, President Tokayev clarified that the request was not made to Russia specifically. During the appeal, Armenia held the chairmanship of the organization, later passing it to Kazakhstan.
President Tokayev highlighted the peacekeeping role played by the CSTO contingent, which proved instrumental in curbing the unrest during the 2022 Kazakh events. He stressed that the peacekeeping forces, stationed in strategic locations, played a vital role in maintaining order without engaging in any anti-terrorist operations.
By agreement with member countries, the CSTO contingent left the country without any prior conditions or delays. The contingent, consisting of forces from various CSTO nations, was strategically deployed to guard critical infrastructure such as water supply, airfields, power plants, and telecommunication facilities.
President Tokayev underscored that the presence of the peacekeeping contingent helped avert potential terrorist threats to vital facilities, enabling Kazakhstan to allocate its forces effectively for counter-terrorism operations.
In January 2022, mass riots erupted in Kazakhstan, marked by attacks on law enforcement and military personnel. President Tokayev declared the events as an attempted coup. The situation was stabilized by January 7, leading to the lifting of the nationwide state of emergency on January 19.
Official figures report 225 deaths and over 4,500 injuries as a result of these events, as stated by authorities.
Stay up to date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel