Nur-Sultan, Jan 7 (UNI) Russian forces arrived in Kazakhstan at the request of the country’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, to help him quell anti-government protests, here on Friday.
Troops fired machine gun in the largest city Almaty to disperse the protestors after days of unrest sparked by a fuel price hike, BBC reported.
Officials have said that there have been casualties both among the protesters and the police.
Kazakhstan’s president has blamed foreign-trained “terrorists”, as being responsible for instigating the people, without giving evidence.
On Wednesday, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev made a public appeal on state television to the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) for support in quelling the protests. The CSTO includes Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Tajikistan and Armenia.
The CSTO said its troops numbering approximately 2,500 soldiers are there for peacekeeping and will protect state and military installations and will remain in the country till their presence is required.
