Police in Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city and financial capital, have said dozens of riots have been “eliminated”, Russia’s Interfax news agency reported.
Soldiers and protesters clashed earlier today in the main square of Almaty.
As Reuters reported earlier, citing its correspondents who were there, armored personnel carriers and dozens of soldiers on foot entered the main square of Almaty this morning, where hundreds of people had gathered to protest against the government for a third day.
Shots were fired as soldiers approached the crowd, according to Reuters eyewitnesses.
At the same time, the Russian news agency TASS reported that heavy exchanges of fire broke out between the army and armed people in the square in front of the Almaty town hall.
“Soldiers arrived in the square, launched a clearing operation against the rioters. A fierce exchange of gunfire is underway,” according to TASS.
The Sputnik news agency reported at the same time, citing a statement from Almaty police, that dozens of people had been killed in the town as they tried to storm police headquarters overnight.
“An attempt was made to break into the Almaty police headquarters overnight and dozens of assailants were eliminated,” police said.
According to Reuters, Kazakhstan state television broadcast today that the country’s National Bank has decided to suspend the operation of all financial institutions. Also the internet is mostly out of order in the country.
Protests in Kazakhstan, initially sparked by rising fuel prices, killed eight police officers and members of the National Guard the day before yesterday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, prompting the president to call for help from a security alliance under Russia. which offered to send peacekeepers.
Follow Skai.gr on Google News
and be the first to know all the news
.
