While the protest in Kazakhstan appears to have been largely suppressed, the scale of destruction and damage to human life is rising in the Asian country.
The Russian news network "Sputnik" today (Sunday) quoted the Kazakh Ministry of Health as announcing that 160 people, including two children, were found dead in demonstrations.
103 of the dead died in the largest city in Almaty, where most of the riots took place.
In addition, the local Interior Ministry announced that 5,000 people, including senior government officials, have been arrested since a protest broke out in the country.
According to the ministry statement, 40 banks to businesses were looted and set on fire and more than 400 vehicles were set on fire by protesters.
Kazakhstan army APC during repression of protest in country // Photo: Reuters,
Meanwhile, President Kasim-Jumart Tokayev announced that some bases and intelligence facilities had been handed over to Russian military forces to allow the foreign forces arriving in the country to act against the protesters.
The president did not specify which facilities were used and what the purpose of their use would be by foreign forces arriving in the country from Russia, Belarus, Armenia and Tajikistan.
Police car catches fire during riots in Almaty, Kazakhstan's largest city // Photo: Reuters,
"Today the situation has stabilized all over the country. Still, the concentrated military effort against terrorism has intensified and will not stop until the elimination of the last terrorist nests in the country," Kazakh Interior Minister Arlen Turgombiev told Reuters.
Despite the minister's remarks, shots and groups of protesters were also observed this morning in Almaty, despite the relative calm.
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