Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev described on Monday the protests in his country as an attempted coup d'etat.
"A hot phase unfolded and groups of armed militants that were waiting in the wings came into action. The main goal became obvious – the undermining of the constitutional order, the destruction of governance institutions, the seizure of power," Tokayev stated during the video conference with the heads of the countries comprising the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). He added that "foreign militants" have been participating in the unrest.
The protest against increased gas prices and government corruption left at least 164 people dead, according to the country's Health Ministry. Amid the events, Tokayev gave the nation's security forces permission to fire at attendees without warning.
