Kazakhstan soldiers wearing UN blue peacekeeping helmets select flash grenades as they prepare to stop protesters in Almaty, Kazakhstan on Thursday, January 6, 2022. NUR. KZ via AP
Kazakhstan soldiers wearing UN blue peacekeeping helmets select flash grenades as they prepare to stop protesters in Almaty, Kazakhstan on Thursday, January 6, 2022. NUR. KZ via AP
Kazakhstan soldiers wearing UN blue peacekeeping helmets select flash grenades as they prepare to stop protesters in Almaty, Kazakhstan on Thursday, January 6, 2022. NUR. KZ via AP
Kazakhstan soldiers wearing UN blue peacekeeping helmets select flash grenades as they prepare to stop protesters in Almaty, Kazakhstan on Thursday, January 6, 2022. NUR. KZ via AP

UN criticises Kazakhstan over unauthorised blue peacekeeper helmet use


James Reinl
  • English
  • Arabic

The United Nations has criticised Kazakhstan over photos showing armed personnel wearing the world body’s iconic blue helmets during last week’s violence and a crackdown on protests that left more than 160 people dead.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric on Monday said the UN had complained to Kazakhstan’s diplomatic outpost in New York about the apparent use of UN peacekeeping equipment and said the issue “had been addressed”.

Over the weekend, journalists posted photos on social media showing troops on Kazakhstan’s streets wearing UN blue helmets – which are only allowed to be worn by peacekeepers operating under a UN Security Council mandate.

A Kazakhstan soldier patrol a street after clashes in Almaty, Kazakhstan, Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022. Kazakhstan's president authorized security forces on Friday to shoot to kill those participating in unrest, opening the door for a dramatic escalation in a crackdown on anti-government protests that have turned violent. The Central Asian nation this week experienced its worst street protests since gaining independence from the Soviet Union three decades ago, and dozens have been killed in the tumult. (Vladimir Tretyakov/NUR. KZ via AP)
A Kazakhstan soldier patrol a street after clashes in Almaty, Kazakhstan, Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022. Kazakhstan's president authorized security forces on Friday to shoot to kill those participating in unrest, opening the door for a dramatic escalation in a crackdown on anti-government protests that have turned violent. The Central Asian nation this week experienced its worst street protests since gaining independence from the Soviet Union three decades ago, and dozens have been killed in the tumult. (Vladimir Tretyakov/NUR. KZ via AP)

“Any UN troop and police contributing countries are to use UN insignia only when they are performing their mandated tasks as UN peacekeepers,” Mr Dujarric said in answer to a question from The National.

“We have conveyed our concern to the permanent mission of Kazakhstan directly on this issue, and we've received assurances from them that this issue had been addressed.”

Kazakhstan’s UN mission did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

  • Police block a street leading to the official presidential residence in Kazakhstan's capital Nur-Sultan, after protests against the government. Reuters
    Police block a street leading to the official presidential residence in Kazakhstan's capital Nur-Sultan, after protests against the government. Reuters
  • Protesters gather in a square outside an administration office in Aktau, capital of the resource-rich Mangistau region in Kazakhstan. AFP
    Protesters gather in a square outside an administration office in Aktau, capital of the resource-rich Mangistau region in Kazakhstan. AFP
  • A burnt-out digger destroyed in protests triggered by fuel price increases, in Kazakhstan's trading and cultural hub Almaty. Reuters
    A burnt-out digger destroyed in protests triggered by fuel price increases, in Kazakhstan's trading and cultural hub Almaty. Reuters
  • A man stands in front of the mayor's office building that was torched during protests in Almaty. Police there have reported killing dozens of rioters since Wednesday. Reuters
    A man stands in front of the mayor's office building that was torched during protests in Almaty. Police there have reported killing dozens of rioters since Wednesday. Reuters
  • Burnt-out cars in central Almaty. Authorities said at least 18 members of the security forces have been killed in the violence in the city. AFP
    Burnt-out cars in central Almaty. Authorities said at least 18 members of the security forces have been killed in the violence in the city. AFP
  • A fire truck destroyed in the protests, in front of the presidential residence in Almaty. Reuters
    A fire truck destroyed in the protests, in front of the presidential residence in Almaty. Reuters
  • A man walks past a car that was overturned and destroyed during the protests in Almaty. Reuters
    A man walks past a car that was overturned and destroyed during the protests in Almaty. Reuters
  • Smoke billows from the Kazakhstan state TV channel building, which was torched during protests in Almaty. Reuters
    Smoke billows from the Kazakhstan state TV channel building, which was torched during protests in Almaty. Reuters
  • Russian military vehicles wait to be loaded on to military aircraft at an airfield outside Moscow, to fly to Kazakhstan. They are part of an alliance of former Soviet states being sent to control the uprising. AP
    Russian military vehicles wait to be loaded on to military aircraft at an airfield outside Moscow, to fly to Kazakhstan. They are part of an alliance of former Soviet states being sent to control the uprising. AP
  • Russian military vehicles wait to be loaded on to a military cargo plane Chkalovsky airbase, outside Moscow, as part of a force heading to Kazakhstan. AFP
    Russian military vehicles wait to be loaded on to a military cargo plane Chkalovsky airbase, outside Moscow, as part of a force heading to Kazakhstan. AFP
  • A Russian military plane with Belarusian troops on board waits to take off from an airfield outside Minsk, Belarus, to fly to Kazakhstan. AP
    A Russian military plane with Belarusian troops on board waits to take off from an airfield outside Minsk, Belarus, to fly to Kazakhstan. AP
  • Russian paratroopers board a military plane at Chkalovsky airbase, headed for Kazakhstan. AFP
    Russian paratroopers board a military plane at Chkalovsky airbase, headed for Kazakhstan. AFP

The blue helmet worn by UN peacekeepers symbolises perhaps the best-known function of the world body. The UN has more than 86,000 personnel from 121 countries deployed in a dozen missions in the world’s hotspots.

According to UN data, Kazakhstan contributes to UN missions, with 16 service people deployed at the end of October. They are allowed to wear official UN peacekeeping gear only when operating under a UN mandate.

Protesters took the streets of Almaty and elsewhere in Kazakhstan on January 2 over fuel price hikes, but demonstrations quickly morphed into broader complaints about corruption and discontent with the authoritarian government.

The government revoked the fuel price increase and the ministerial cabinet resigned, but order was not restored until troops from Russia and other members of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) deployed to Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev blamed "terrorists" for the violence and authorised a shoot-to-kill order for police and the military to restore order.

Nearly 8,000 people were detained across the country, Kazakhstan's Interior Ministry said on Monday.

Liverpool's all-time goalscorers

Ian Rush 346
Roger Hunt 285
Mohamed Salah 250
Gordon Hodgson 241
Billy Liddell 228

Thank You for Banking with Us

Director: Laila Abbas

Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum

Rating: 4/5

Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMaly%20Tech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Mo%20Ibrahim%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%20International%20Financial%20Centre%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%241.6%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2015%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPre-seed%2C%20planning%20first%20seed%20round%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20GCC-based%20angel%20investors%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Fifa%20World%20Cup%20Qatar%202022%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFirst%20match%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENovember%2020%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFinal%2016%20round%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%203%20to%206%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EQuarter-finals%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%209%20and%2010%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESemi-finals%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%2013%20and%2014%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFinal%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%2018%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company profile

Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space

Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)

Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)

Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi 

Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution) 

Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space  

Growth: Back to Games: from 300 products in 2015 to 7,000 in 2019; Boardgame Space: from 34 games in 2017 to 3,500 in 2019

ENGLAND SQUAD

Team: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Anthony Watson, 13 Ben Te'o, 12 Owen Farrell, 11 Jonny May, 10 George Ford, 9 Ben Youngs, 1 Mako Vunipola, 2 Dylan Hartley, 3 Dan Cole, 4 Joe Launchbury, 5 Maro Itoje, 6 Courtney Lawes, 7 Chris Robshaw, 8 Sam Simmonds

Replacements 16 Jamie George, 17 Alec Hepburn, 18 Harry Williams, 19 George Kruis, 20 Sam Underhill, 21 Danny Care, 22 Jonathan Joseph, 23 Jack Nowell

The specs: 2018 Renault Megane

Price, base / as tested Dh52,900 / Dh59,200

Engine 1.6L in-line four-cylinder

Transmission Continuously variable transmission

Power 115hp @ 5,500rpm

Torque 156Nm @ 4,000rpm

Fuel economy, combined 6.6L / 100km

Scoreline:

Cardiff City 0

Liverpool 2

Wijnaldum 57', Milner 81' (pen)

England squad

Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Dominic Bess, James Bracey, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Ben Foakes, Lewis Gregory, Keaton Jennings, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Saqib Mahmood, Craig Overton, Jamie Overton, Matthew Parkinson, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Dom Sibley, Ben Stokes, Olly Stone, Amar Virdi, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

Updated: January 11, 2022, 7:08 AM