Kazakhstan’s government has resigned amid fuel protests in the country.
On Wednesday, January 5th 2022, Kazakhstan declared emergencies in the capital, main city and provinces after demonstrators stormed and set fire to public buildings. Reuters has called it “the worst unrest for more than a decade in a tightly controlled country that promotes an image of stability”.
The Kazakhstan government has resigned as a result of the protest. However, this has failed to end it. Angry demonstrators have taken to the streets to the streets in response to the increase of the price of fuel (which kicked off this new year). A report by media outlet, Reuters states that its journalists “saw thousands of protesters pressing towards Almaty city centre, some of them on a large truck.”
Almaty security forces have also responded violently to the protest. Clad in helmets and riot shields, they have fired flash-bang grenades and tear gas at protesters. A Kazakh blogger has also shown, in an Instagram Live feed, fire blazing in the office of the Almaty mayor. Gunshots can be heard in the feed. Several other videos shared online have also shown the mayor’s office on fire. The city’s chief of police said that it was under attack by “extremists and radicals”.
