During the mass rallies, 500 residents of Almaty were beaten – the city commandant

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Almaty Commandant Kanat Timerdenov said more than 500 civilians had been beaten as a result of mass protests in the city.

This was reported by UA with reference to Interfax-Ukraine.

According to him, on the night of January 5, extremist groups intensified in the city of Almaty.

“As a result of their illegal actions, more than 120 vehicles were burned, including 33 police cars, ambulances and fire trucks. Business was affected: 120 shops and retail outlets, 180 catering establishments, about 100 SME offices (small and medium-sized businesses) were destroyed. More than 500 civilians were beaten, including 130 women and the elderly” – Timerdenov said.

The commandant of Almaty said that “today the city has suffered new attacks by extremists and radicals.”

“Necessary measures are being taken to protect the lives and safety of citizens. We call on those who took to the streets to disperse. Our main goal is to prevent further escalation of violence and radicalism” – he said.

Kanat Taimerdenov called on the residents of Almaty “to stay at home, not to succumb to panic and provocations, to be guided by information from official sources”.

It will be recalled that on January 2, protests erupted in Kazakhstan against a 2-2.5-fold increase in the price of liquefied gas to 120 tenge (USD 0.28). Then thousands of people went to rallies, in particular, in the largest cities of Zhanaozen and Aktau. Demonstrators announced an indefinite action.

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