Kazakhstan Says At Least 164 Reportedly Killed in Last Week’s Protests

News Times Link: Kazakhstan’s health ministry said on Sunday that 164 people were killed in protests that shook the country over the past week

Earlier on Sunday, Kazakh authorities said  16 member of police or National Guard had been killed. Authorities previously reported 26 civilian deaths.

The highest number of  deaths (103) occurred in Almaty, the country’s largest city, where protesters occupied government buildings.

Earlier, the Ministry of National Defense said that 2,200 people were hospitalized due to injuries caused by the protests, and the Ministry of Interior  said that 1,300 security officers were injured.

Protests over soaring fuel prices appear to have begun in the West on January 2 and spread across the country,  reflecting greater dissatisfaction.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s administration said last week that some 5,800 people were detained by police during  protests that developed into violence last week.

Almaty’s airport, which was occupied by protesters last week, remained closed but is expected to resume operations from Monday.

The same party has ruled Kazakhstan since independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Anyone who seeks to oppose the government is oppressed, back-grounded, or involved, and financial hardship is widespread despite its vast oil, natural gas, uranium and mineral reserves.

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