Kazakhstan mourns victims of Aktobe attacks

The national mourning for those killed during the terrorist attacks in Aktobe was observed today in Kazakhstan.

Flags in the Republic were flown at half-mast, all local TV and radio entertainment programs and events have been cancelled.

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev announced June 9 a national day of mourning for those killed in the Aktobe attacks, the press service of the Kazakh president said.
Nazarbayev signed the relevant order on June 8.

"In connection with the deaths of soldiers and civilians during the Aktobe terrorist act, June 9, 2016 is declared a national day of mourning," the document said.

The President also expressed his deepest condolences to the families and the loved ones of the victims.

Nazarbayev said that "extremism and terrorism threatens the security of not only the country but also the whole world" and urged citizens to be vigilant and to assist law enforcement agencies.

A number of state bodies of Kazakhstan today changed the design of their official websites in memory of those killed in the terrorist attack.

The authorities of the Aktobe region has decided to increase the size of material aid to the families of the four victims of the terrorist attack. "They will be allocated 5 million tenge ($15000)," the press service of the regional administration said.

Andrey Maksimenko, born in 1972 (a vendor at 'Pallada' gun shop), Nicholay Onishchenko, born in 1947 (a passerby), Mirhan Tazhibayev, born in 1983 ('Kuzet' security company employee), Mikhail Matrosov, born in 1981 (visitor of 'Panther' gun shop), Sapar Dosbol Erkinbekuly, born in 1997 (a soldier), Daniel Mailybaev, born in 1975 (a soldier) and Berick Kaliyev, born in 1978 (a soldier) are among the killed.

A total of 13 criminals were killed and 9 others detained in an anti-terrorist operation that followed the attack.

On June 5, a group of "followers of radical, nontraditional religious movements" attacked two gun shops and an army unit of the National Guard in Aktobe. 8 people were killed in the attack, including 3 servicemen, 34 people were wounded.