APCs and servicemen on the streets of Alma-Ata. File photoMOSCOW, Jan 16CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas expressed confidence that a new surge of riots in Kazakhstan is hardly possible, the situation is under control. «Firstly, the situation has been taken under control. Secondly, now a lot of work is being done to clarify the whole picture, all the participants. Accordingly, measures will be taken within the framework of the law of the Republic of Kazakhstan. And of course, everyone has drawn conclusions from this situation for themselves — not only the Kazakh people, but also the leadership of the country,» he said in an interview with RT. 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 the doubling of 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 throughout the country until January 19 and launched a counter-terrorism operation. According to the UN, during the protests in Kazakhstan, about 1,000 people were injured. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the republic, 17 Kazakh security officials were killed, more than 1.3 thousand were injured. On the morning of January 5, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart 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 for help from the CSTO «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 said that the terrorists, including those who had 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. On Thursday, January 13, the successful completion of the CSTO mission was announced, now the peacekeepers are returning from Kazakhstan.
Zas considers Kazakhstan's appeal to the CSTO for help justified
