President of Kazakhstan responds to unrest triggered by fuel prices

CGTN

text

Click arrows to view gallery

After increases in fuel prices triggered unrest in Kazakhstan this week, the country’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev vowed to respond “robustly,” saying “we intend to act with maximum severity regarding law-breakers,” in a televised address Wednesday evening.

Protesters stormed and set fire to the presidential residence and other government offices in the city of Almaty Wednesday during demonstrations.The entire government resigned following the violence.

Tokayev has taken over as the head of Kazakhstan’s Security Council.Although Kazakhstan has large mineral and oil reserves, many of the people there are poor.

Reports are growing of discontentment with the main ruling party which has controlled the country since its 1991 independence from the former Soviet Union.

Click arrows to view gallery

Check out

The China Report

, our new weekly newsletter. Subscribe here!