One of the groups of bandits who participated in the riots in Alma-Ata in early January of this year lived in a five-star hotel, its command headquarters was located on the first floor of the Kazakhstan Hotel. Such an “interesting fact” was cited in a television interview President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
According to the head of the republic, “facts that were previously difficult to imagine” are now being revealed. RIA News.
“Who is behind this, what do you think?” Tokaev asked in an interview with Khabar 24 TV channel.
This, according to the head of Kazakhstan, is to be established by the investigation, the course of which Tokayev does not want to anticipate. Many of the militants who participated in the riots have already left Alma-Ata: they disappeared into the countryside, went to neighboring republics, disguised themselves in a different way – for example, by shaving off their beards. When detained, they “shout that they are bystanders,” the head of the republic added.
According to Tokayev, the January events in his country have been carefully planned and pursued the goal of eliminating state institutions, undermining the constitutional order and seizing power. At its core, it was a terrorist operation involving militants from abroad, he says.
During the recent riots in Kazakhstan, 227 people were killed, of which 19 were law enforcement officers and military personnel. From January 5 to January 19, a state of emergency was in effect in the republic, recalls “Interfax”.
At the request of Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev, the forces of the Collective Security Treaty Organization were sent to Kazakhstan. On January 19, the CSTO peacekeepers completed their mission in the republic. As of January 25, over 2,000 criminal cases on the January events were under investigation by the investigative-operational groups, more than 800 people were arrested in these cases.