The death toll in the clashes in Alma-Ata security officials rose to 13, two of them were found beheaded, the commandant’s office of the Kazakh city told RIA Novosti.
“Thirteen law enforcement officers were killed, including two bodies were found with their heads cut off,” the source said.
The presence of mutilated bodies was regarded by the authorities as “direct evidence of the terrorist and extremist nature of the bandit formations that attacked Alma-Ata.”
Protest actions in Kazakhstan began in the first days of the new year. Residents of the cities of Zhanaozen and Aktau, which are located in the oil-producing Mangistau region, rallied to protest against a two-fold increase in the price of liquefied petroleum gas used as fuel for cars. The riots spread throughout the country.
Subsequently, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev instructed to introduce state regulation of fuel prices for six months, dismissed the government and headed the Security Council, which was previously headed by the first head of the republic, Nursultan Nazarbayev.
The protesters were warned that the authorities will take the toughest measures against violators, as the riots have already killed and injured the security forces. In addition, protesters made several attempts to storm administrative buildings and police departments, during which dozens of people were killed.
A state of emergency was introduced throughout the republic.