Kazakhstan – nearly 8,000 individuals have been arrested and dozens have died throughout the country in the last week, reported the government on Monday, officials hold terrorists responsible for violent unrest.
Key Facts:
- Around 7,939 people in Kazakhstan have been detained by the country’s police following violent protests the previous week, multiple news outlets reported.
During the violent unrest, 44 individuals died, reported the government officials to the country’s local media, BBC revealed, after retracting the earlier statement that said, “more than 164 people had died.” - As for Monday reporting, the counterintelligence and anti-terrorism agency of Kazakhstan said, “the situation has stabilized and is under control,” reported the AP news. Moreover, it has been further reported that the internet connection has been restored in the country’s largest city, Almaty, following the countrywide “blackout” on Wednesday.
- Government officials who authorized the open fire on protestors “without warning” blamed international media for the violent unrest as they stated, “foreign-trained terrorist groups were responsible for fomenting violence”.
- The government bodies, who neither provide proofs of its claims nor name terrorist groups or suspects it believes to be involved, said, “forces had been engaging ‘violent mobs’ and foreign reports gave a false impression that the Kazakhstan government has been targeting peaceful protestors.”
In a country like Kazakhstan, where the government has tight control, last week’s unrest was the worst since it announced its independence. In the memory of the people it has lost, the country designated Monday a National Day of Mourning.
In a statement released on Monday, the foreign ministry of the country said, “the peaceful protests throughout the country were hijacked by terrorist, extremist and criminal groups.”
As per the primary data, “the attackers include individuals who have military combat zone experience in the ranks of radical Islamist groups. Currently, the law enforcement agencies and armed forces of Kazakhstan are confronting terrorists, not ‘peaceful protesters’ as some foreign media misrepresent it,” reads the government’s statement.
Despite the tremendous efforts of the country’s @UNHumanRights, violence erupted.
“Kazakhstan: Amid violence in the country, @UNHumanRights chief @MBachelet urges security forces, protesters and all others, to refrain from violence and seek a peaceful resolution to current tensions”. UN Tweeted.
