An armored personnel carrier on a street in Nur-Sultan TEL-AVIV, Jan 8 An Israeli citizen died in riots in the Kazakh city of Alma-Ata, the Foreign Ministry of the Jewish state said on Saturday. «Ben Kodzhiashvili, a 22-year-old Israeli, was killed last night in a shootout in the Kazakh city of Alma-Ata during the riots in the country.» The ministry said in a statement. It is noted that in recent years the young man lived in Kazakhstan. The ministry added that Israeli diplomats are in contact with his parents living in Kazakhstan and family members in Israel, and assisting in the delivery of the body for burial home. Earlier on Thursday, the Israeli Foreign Ministry warned of the dangers of visits to Kazakhstan and called for special caution among citizens. the Jewish state, which are now in this republic. Citizens of Israel residing in the country were advised to avoid getting into mass gatherings, restrict movement and travel, and follow the guidelines of the government and security forces. Mass protests in Kazakhstan began in the early days of 2022 — residents of the cities of Zhanaozen and Aktau in the west of the country opposed a twofold increase in prices for liquefied gas. Later, the protests spread to other cities, including Alma-Ata, the old capital and the largest city of the republic: looting began there, militants attacked state institutions, took away weapons. In response, the authorities declared a state of emergency across the country until January 19 and launched a counter-terrorism operation. According to the UN, about 1,000 people were injured during the protests in Kazakhstan. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the republic, 18 security officials were killed. On the morning of January 5, Kazakh President Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev dismissed the government and headed the Security Council. At the first meeting of the Security Council under his leadership, Tokayev described the situation in Kazakhstan as undermining the integrity of the state and said that he had asked the CSTO for help «in overcoming the terrorist threat.» The CSTO Collective Security Council decided to send collective peacekeeping forces to Kazakhstan to normalize the situation in the country. On January 7, Tokayev announced that terrorists, including those who arrived from abroad, continued to resist, and promised to destroy those who did not lay down their arms. In addition, the President noted that all the demands of citizens, expressed in peaceful forms, were heard. 
«Shocked by what is happening»: residents of Kazakhstan talked about the situation in the country
