Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has described deadly violence last week as an attempted coup d’etat.

Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has described deadly violence last week as an attempted coup d’etat. He told leaders of a military alliance of ex-Soviet states the action had been co-ordinated by a single centre, but did not name those responsible. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin said Kazakhstan had been targeted by international terrorism, but provided no evidence for this claim. He added that Russia would never allow revolutions in the region.

Troops from Russia and other countries are currently in Kazakhstan to restore order. The demonstrations, triggered by a rise in fuel prices, turned into the worst unrest the country has seen in its 30 years of independence. According to report, dozens of people are reported to have died, including 16 members of the security forces. The protests started on 2 January and grew to reflect discontent at the government and former President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who led Kazakhstan for three decades and is still thought to retain significant influence.