Employees of the UN mission in Kazakhstan were not injured and did not face any life-threatening situations during recent protests, spokeswoman Elnara Bainazarova told Sputnik on Friday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th January, 2022) Employees of the UN mission in Kazakhstan were not injured and did not face any life-threatening situations during recent protests, spokeswoman Elnara Bainazarova told Sputnik on Friday.
"UN employees did not have any injuries or other life-threatening situations," Bainazarova said.
The United Nations system took all necessary measures to ensure the safety of its employees, she pointed out.
Protests erupted in Kazakhstan in early January following a twofold increase in gas prices. The protests turned into riots, and the Kazakh government said they had been hijacked by terrorist groups aided by foreign actors. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev declared a nationwide state of emergency until January 19 and invited Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) peacekeeping forces to help bring the situation under control. Tokayev dismissed the government and appointed a new prime minister.
The situation has since been stabilized, and CSTO peacekeepers have begun to withdraw.
