Russian-led troops stationed in Kazakhstan to help the government restore order have begun their withdrawal operations following violent unrest last week. This was announced by the Russian Defense Ministry from Moscow.
"The peacekeeping units of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), having fulfilled their intended tasks, have begun to prepare the military and technical material to be loaded on the Russian Air Force aircraft in view of a return to their permanent base ", reads a note from the ministry.
"In accordance with the plan", the CSTO troops "have begun the delivery of socially important targets to the national law enforcement agencies," said the Russian Defense Ministry.quoted by Tass.
The president of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, announced on 11 January that the approximately 2,000 CSTO soldiers would begin to leave the country within two days, with a "gradual withdrawal" that would last "no more than 10 days".
