Kazakhstan Reports $218 Million worth of Damages for Local Business during Unrest

During several days of unrest businesses in Kazakhstan have lost about $218 million; about $214 million are losses of the business in the city of Almaty, according to the Interfax news agency.

As of January 10, there were several thousand businesses that have been suffered from the unrest and were looted in ten different regions of the country.

«The total amount of losses might be about $218 million where Almaty accounts for $214 million of damage,» said the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs.

The authorities reported 1,319 businesses located in 1,488 buildings that were looted and destroyed all over the country. In Almaty, there are 1,234 damaged businesses in 1,399 buildings.

«Trade (1,245), food industry (25), finance sector (37), logistical hubs (9) and media (2) have been among those businesses that suffered the most,» said the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs.

On January 2, people took to the streets in the town of Zhanaozen (the Mangystau region) after the sharp increase of liquid gas prices in the West region of the country. Later these local protests turned into nationwide protests with economic and political demands.

On January 4-5, the police reported clashes with protesters in Almaty. The authorities declared a state of emergency.

On Wednesday, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev informed the public that he had asked CSTO for help in dealing with the terrorist threat in the country.

On January 8, Tokayev said that thanks to the CSTO forces in Nur-Sultan the government has been able to regroup law enforcement personnel and sent them to Almaty where they have been performing the anti-terrorist operation.