Kazakhstan declares emergencies in cities

GBNEWS24DESK//

Kazakhstan’s president sacked the Central Asian country’s cabinet Wednesday in a bid to head off unprecedented unrest across the nation that followed an energy price hike.

President Kassym Jomart Tokayev imposed states of emergency in the largest city Almaty, the financial capital, and the western province of Mangystau Wednesday after protests saw thousands take to the streets and demand the government’s resignation, reports AFP.

A separate order published on the presidential website Wednesday morning said Tokayev had accepted the resignation of the cabinet headed by Prime Minister Askar Mamin.

Deputy prime minister Alikhan Smailov will perform the PM’s role on an acting basis until a new cabinet was formed, the order stated.

The southeastern city of Almaty, Kazakhstan’s financial capital, was in chaos from late Tuesday as police fired tear gas and stun grenades to quell unrest that began in the west of the country over a spike in local prices for Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG).

States of emergency in Almaty and Mangystau are effective from January 5 until January 19, the presidential website reported.

A curfew will be in place in both territories from 23:00 to 7:00 local, with restrictions on movement in and out of the cities falling under the orders.

– ‘Old man out’ –

Tokayev had hours earlier called for a return to calm in a video posted on Facebook by his press secretary Berik Uali.

“The government will not be felled, but we don’t need conflict,” Tokayev said in the address.