Authorities in Kazakhstan are calling what occurred in Kazakhstan an attempted coup at the feet of an international terrorist conspiracy.
Speaking at an extraordinary online session of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Collective Security Council, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev yesterday noted that what had occurred in Kazakhstan was carefully planned and coordinated from one center.
"This is evidenced by the synchronous attack on the headquarters of regional authorities, law enforcement agencies, pre-trial detention centers, strategic facilities, banks, a TV tower and TV channels,” he said, according to Eurasianet. “Airports were seized, roads and railways were blocked, the work of ambulances and firefighters was blocked.”
According to him, it was only the involvement of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, or CSTO, that prevented the armed takeover of the government.
The Kazakh leader noted that the intention of the attackers had been to first take control of Almaty and then to move on toward the capital.
“The fall of this city would have paved the way to capture the populous south and then all the country. The terrorists were counting on drawing in law enforcement, so that they could strike at the capital of Kazakhstan,” said Tokayev. “We saw a mustering of militants about the presidential residence.”
Today, Tokayev is presenting parliament with a new Cabinet that will be tasked specifically with addressing serious social and economic problems. An interim government has been in place since January 5, when Tokayev fired the previous incumbents as unrest began to escalate.
Addressing the matter of how long CSTO troops were likely to remain in Kazakhstan, Tokayev said their mission would end soon.
