As of: 01/15/2022 7:40 p.m
After the violent unrest in Kazakhstan, the authorities have significantly increased their number of dead. According to the prosecutor, 225 people died. More than 4300 people were injured.
According to the authorities, a total of 225 people were killed during the violent protests in the Kazakh city of Almaty and in other parts of the country. “During the state of emergency, the bodies of 225 people were taken to the morgues,” said a representative of the Attorney General’s Office.
The Kazakh authorities had previously spoken of at least 164 dead. This number was later withdrawn by the Ministry of Information.
“Gun guns” among the victims
19 members of the security forces were among the victims. Among those killed were “armed bandits who were involved in terrorist attacks,” said senior prosecutor Serik Schalabaev. “Unfortunately, civilians have also become victims of acts of terrorism.” The number of dead could still increase.
More than 4,300 people were injured as a result. According to a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health, more than 2,600 people have been treated in hospitals, and 67 are still in serious condition.
Rise in gas prices triggers the unrest
According to Schalabaev, about 50,000 people had joined the violent protests. The climax came on January 5, when crowds in several cities set fire to government buildings, banks, cars and shops.
The protests were sparked at the beginning of the year by the rise in fuel prices. Head of state Kassym-Schomart Tokayev Tokayev had cracked down and issued an order to shoot. Following complaints of suspects being tortured, he ordered police to avoid abuse and prosecutors to be lenient with those who had not committed serious crimes.
CSTO troops are withdrawn
The situation in the country had stabilized in recent days as a result of a Russian-led military operation by the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). The soldiers from Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan who were allowed into the country for this purpose are gradually leaving Kazakhstan. The withdrawal is expected to be completed by next Wednesday.
The Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko thanked the soldiers for a successful mission in Kazakhstan. He also said that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin made the decision on the CSTO mission in the first week of January within an hour.