More than 5,000 arrested, 164 people killed since Kazakhstan protests erupted a week ago

Dozens have been killed in days of demonstrations in the energy-rich Central Asian state

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  Police block a street leading to the official presidential residence in Kazakhstan's capital Nur-Sultan, after protests against the government. Reuters

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  Protesters gather in a square outside an administration office in Aktau, capital of the resource-rich Mangistau region in Kazakhstan. AFP

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  A burnt-out digger destroyed in protests triggered by fuel price increases, in Kazakhstan's trading and cultural hub Almaty. Reuters

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  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

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  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

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  A fire truck destroyed in the protests, in front of the presidential residence in Almaty. Reuters

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  A man walks past a car that was overturned and destroyed during the protests in Almaty. Reuters

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  Smoke billows from the Kazakhstan state TV channel building, which was torched during protests in Almaty. Reuters

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  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

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  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

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  A Russian military plane with Belarusian troops on board waits to take off from an airfield outside Minsk, Belarus, to fly to Kazakhstan. AP

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  Russian paratroopers board a military plane at Chkalovsky airbase, headed for Kazakhstan. AFP

More than 5,000 people have been arrested in Kazakhstan over the riots that have shaken the country in the past week, Kazakh authorities have said.

Kazakhstan’s health ministry said 164 people were killed in protests that have rocked the country over the past week.

In total, 5,135 people have been detained for questioning as part of 125 investigations into the unrest, the interior ministry told local media on Sunday.

The sharp rise sparked unrest a week ago in western provincial areas that quickly reached major cities.

Riots erupted in Almaty, the former capital, and police opened fire using live rounds.

About 19 million people live in the energy-rich ex-Soviet state, Central Asia’s largest country.

The interior ministry, quoted on Sunday by local media, said initial estimates put property damage at about €175 million ($198m).

More than 100 businesses and banks were attacked and looted and more than 400 vehicles destroyed, the ministry said.

A police officer escorts a group of detained protesters in Almaty, Kazakhstan, Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022. Vladimir Tretyakov/NUR. KZ via AP

“Today the situation is stabilised in all regions of the country,” Interior Minister Erlan Turgumbayev said.

But he also said: “The counter-terror operation is continuing in a bid to re-establish order in the country.”

There is no evidence that the riots are related to terrorism.

A relative calm appeared to return to Almaty, with police sometimes firing shots into the air to stop people approaching its central square, an AFP correspondent said on Saturday.