Kazakhstan: Nearly 10,000 detained after widespread anti-govt protest over fuel price hike

Nearly 10,000 people in Kazakhstan have been detained by security forces over unrest. The country's interior ministry has informed that security forces have detained 9900 people over the violent protests during last week, reported CGTN. The country's Interior Ministry has further informed that 17 law enforcement officers have been killed amid unrest, reported Sputnik. The unrest in the country was triggered by protests against the hike in fuel prices.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Monday, January 10, said that the unrest witnessed after the initial peaceful protests against the increase in fuel price is a 'terrorist aggression', according to AP. He stressed that the demonstrations were triggered by “terrorists” and added that he has ordered the police and the military to shoot terrorists involved in the violence.

As per AP, Tokayev further refuted the reports that authorities targeted peaceful demonstrators and called the reports as “misinformation”.

Kazakhstan Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Monday that law enforcement agencies have been instructed to probe into the cause that ultimately led to the present crisis in the country. The ministry said that the 'peaceful protests were hijacked by terrorist, extremist and criminal groups' to increase tensions and violence although the demands of the protests were fulfilled.  

"The law enforcement agencies have been instructed to conduct a large-scale investigation of the causes of the current situation, the results of which will be presented to the international community," the Kazakhstan Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Furthermore, the National Security Committee, Kazakhstan’s counterintelligence and anti-terrorism agency on January 10, said that the situation has been stabilised and was under control, according to AP. The Kazakhstan authorities declared Monday a day of mourning for the victims who lost their lives in the violent unrest.

The health ministry has revealed that 164 people, including three children, have been killed in the violent unrest in the Central Asian country. 

Protests in Kazakhstan

After the hike in fuel price, the protests erupted on January 2 and swept across the country during the last week. Despite the efforts of the government to calm the demonstrators, the protests turned extremely violent for several days. The protesters in Almaty set the city hall on fire and had stormed and seized the airport for some time.

After the unrest increased, the country's ministerial cabinet submitted resignation. The authorities declared a state of emergency over the unrest in Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan President Tokayev even called for help from the Collective Security Treaty Organization. 

Inputs from AP

Image: AP