Kazakhstan has appealed to its Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) partners for help because of the situation in the country. On Wednesday night, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called the protests an act of aggression and called the rioters "terrorist gangs" trained abroad.
The head of state declared a state of emergency throughout Kazakhstan, including a curfew and restrictions on freedom of movement. TASS has collected the main what is known about the situation in the republic at the moment.
Appeal to the CSTO
Tokayev appealed to the heads of CSTO member states for help "in overcoming this terrorist threat," describing the unrest as an act of aggression.
The Collective Security Treaty provides that in the event of aggression against one of the members of the organization, the others must immediately provide it with "necessary assistance, including military assistance" and provide support "with the means at their disposal". The CSTO now includes Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in addition to Kazakhstan.
The press service of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko reported that he had discussed the situation in the allied country with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Tokayev, but the Kremlin has not yet been informed of the conversation. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who now chairs the CSTO Collective Security Council, said he had begun consultations with his colleagues about the situation in Kazakhstan.
From "hooligan elements" to "terrorist gangs"
The Kazakh president, who referred to the rioters as "hooligan elements" in an address to the nation this afternoon, now described the rioters as "terrorist gangs" who had received training abroad. According to him, they seized five planes at the airport in Almaty and clashed with paratroopers on the outskirts of the city.
According to the latest information from the Kazakh Interior Ministry, eight police officers and members of the National Guard were killed and 317 others were wounded in the unrest in the country. Later, local media reported the deaths of two more soldiers during the operation at the airport in Almaty. There is no new official data on civilian casualties yet.
A state of emergency has been imposed throughout the territory of Kazakhstan, which had previously been in effect in the Mangistau and Almaty regions, as well as in Almaty and Nur-Sultan. This involves restrictions on freedom of movement, a ban on gatherings and mass events (including family gatherings for the birth of a child, wedding or death), as well as a curfew from 23:00 to 07:00.
Situation in the country
In Almaty, which has become the epicenter of unrest in the country, protesters vandalized the airport after seizing the buildings of the city administration, the office of the National Security Committee and the presidential residence. According to a TASS correspondent, stores and ATMs were looted and bus stops vandalized.
On Wednesday night, the city's commandant's office announced the start of an anti-terrorist operation. At the same time, shortly before, Internet and mobile communication access, which had been absent for several hours, was restored in Almaty.
According to a TASS reporter, the situation in Nur-Sultan remains calm.
Because of the situation, airlines from a number of countries have begun to cancel or postpone flights to Kazakhstan. In particular, Aeroflot, Belavia, Azerbaijan Airlines and some other flights have been canceled or postponed. A source in the Russian aviation authorities told TASS that the decision on flights from Russia on Thursday would be made based on the situation in Kazakhstan.
Personnel decisions
The turmoil in Kazakhstan has led to a major reshuffle in the country's leadership. In the morning, Tokayev dismissed Askar Mamin's government and appointed First Deputy Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov as acting head of the cabinet. Then he replaced the state secretary of the republic and appointed Murat Nurtleu, the deputy head of his administration, as the first deputy chairman of the National Security Committee.
During the day, Tokayev announced that he was taking over the chairmanship of the Security Council, which had previously been expected to be chaired for life by Kazakhstan's first president, Nursultan Nazarbayev. The head of state did not specify what the reason for this decision was.
This evening, the president dismissed the head of the National Security Committee, Karim Massimov. Yermek Sagimbayev, head of the State Security Service, replaced him in this position.
International reaction
The United States called on the Kazakh authorities to show restraint and on the protesters to express their demands peacefully. White House press secretary Jen Psaki called the allegations of US involvement in the unrest in the republic insane and false.
Representatives of key international organizations also commented on the situation. The United Nations called on the sides to be restrained and to engage in dialogue, noting that the employees of the World Organization are still working in Kazakhstan and there is no threat to their safety.
The OSCE also stated the need for a peaceful return to order in Kazakhstan, the establishment of a dialogue of all Kazakhstani people for stability in the country, and the importance of this dialogue for the stability of all of Central Asia.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS