Protests escalate in Kazakhstan; president’s home set ablaze

Published January 5, 2022 2:03 PM

By JIM HEINTZ
Associated Press

MOSCOW (AP) — News reports say protesters in Kazakhstan’s largest city have stormed the presidential residence and mayor’s office and set both on fire. The demonstrations were sparked by a rise in fuel prices in the Central Asian nation and escalated sharply. Police fired on some protesters at the presidential residence before fleeing. The Interior Ministry said eight police officers and national guardsmen were killed in the unrest and more than 300 were injured. No figures on civilian casualties were released. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev vowed to take harsh measures to quell the unrest and declared a two-week state of emergency for the whole country.

Article Topic Follows: AP National Business

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