Kazakh President Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev said on Friday morning that constitutional order had been largely restored in all regions of the country.
"Constitutional order has basically been restored in all regions of the country. Local bodies are in control of the situation", he said at a meeting of the counter-terrorism headquarters with the participation of the leadership of the presidential administration, the security council, and security forces.
The counter-terrorist operation will continue in Kazakhstan, the president of the republic noted. "But terrorists continue to use weapons and damage property of citizens. Therefore, counter-terrorist actions should be continued until the complete destruction of the militants", Tokayev stressed.
The CSTO contingent arrived in Kazakhstan to provide cover and protection functions for strategic objects. The CSTO soldiers do not participate in hostilities, they are not engaged in the elimination of militants.
A critical - red - level of terrorist threat has been introduced throughout the republic, the press service of the National Security Committee (NSC) of Kazakhstan reported on Friday. "By order of the chairman of the NSC, the head of the Republican public headquarters, in agreement with the president, a critical red level of terrorist danger has been introduced throughout the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan. An anti-terrorist operation regime has been established in all regions of the country", the message says.
The special services are allowed to carry out personal search, searches of things and vehicles, as well as temporarily restrict or prohibit their movement, and freely enter residential and other premises. The "red" level assumes full mobilization and operational readiness of all special services personnel.
All akimat buildings in Kazakhstan and other administrative buildings have now been vacated and taken under the protection of law enforcement agencies, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the republic reported.
Last night in Almaty, targeted attacks on the police took place, bandits broke into gun shops, threw Molotov cocktails, Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration of Kazakhstan Dauren Abaev said about the clashes in the city.
Terrorists seized and destroyed the administrative buildings of the city, the offices of TV channels. Several times they tried to go live on central television. They tried to attack the Koktobe TV tower twice.
In addition, the rioters managed to seize the airport and several planes, where they erected barricades. The criminals probably have their own means of connection.
Terrorists with sniper rifles participated in the assault on the police department. As a result of the riots, at least 18 law enforcement officers were killed.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan reports that in the course of special operations more than 3 thousand people were detained, 26 criminals were eliminated, and 18 more were wounded. The versions about their belonging to extremist organizations are being investigated.
During the restoration of law and order in the cities of Almaty and Shymkent, 216 servicemen were injured, about 50 units of military equipment were damaged, and eight vehicles cannot be restored.
The military maintain law and order in the cities of Aktau, Atyrau, Uralsk, Aktobe, Zhanaozen, Pavlodar, Ust-Kamenogorsk, Semey, Kokshetau, Kostanay, Petropavlovsk, Karaganda and Zhezkazgan.
Currently, the shooting in the area of Republic Square in Almaty does not subside, there are new victims.
Law enforcement agencies of Kazakhstan set up 70 round-the-clock checkpoints on the territory of the republic in connection with the ongoing riots.
