Russian troops remain in Kazakhstan amid crackdown of anti-govt protests

Russian troops, which have been invited by Kazakh government against demonstrators who have recently taken to the street due to a fuel price hike, remain in the country. 

The Kazakh law enforcement officials claim that 26 “armed criminals” and 18 security officers have been killed in the unrest. 

They say that more than 3,000 people have been arrested.

The UN, US, UK, and France have called on all sides to refrain from violence.

According to local media, 70 checkpoints have been set up across the country.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has stated that the “constitutional order has been restored in all regions of the country” and that the government is now controlling the situation.

In his revious statements, the president accused foreign-trained “terrorists” of the unrest without giving evidence, said the operations would continue until “the militants are completely eliminated”.