Kazakh President Orders Creation of Special Operations Forces, National Security Reforms
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev instructed the country's National Security Council to accelerate efforts to establish a special operations force in the wake of mass protests that gripped the country earlier this month, the presidential press office said on Saturday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th January, 2022) Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev instructed the country's National Security Council to accelerate efforts to establish a special operations force in the wake of mass protests that gripped the country earlier this month, the presidential press office said on Saturday.
"Kassym-Jomart Tokayev instructed the Secretary of the Security Council to speed up work on the creation of special operations forces and submit specific proposals for reforming the national security system," the press service said in a statement.
He also ordered law enforcement agencies to undertake an investigation and establish the exact number of civilian casualties caused by the unrest.
Tokayev went on to stress the importance of preventing violation of the rights of citizens during anti-terrorist operations.
Earlier in January, mass protests swept across Kazakhstan after a twofold increase in gas prices. Despite the government's attempts to quell the discontent and promises to bring the prices down, protests turned violent and descended into deadly clashes with law enforcement officers in several regions.
Nearly 1,000 people were injured, the United Nations said. According to the country's interior ministry, 17 security officers were killed.