Four killed in shootout in Almaty, Kazakhstan

Asia-Pacific, News July 18, 2016 , by IRIA No Comments

Gunmen have killed 3 policemen and a civilian in Kazakhstan’s commercial capital, Almaty, officials say.

Four people have died, including three police officers and one civilian, Kazakhstan’s Interior Ministry said.

Two gunmen attacked a police station in central Almaty, killing the three police officers in an exchange of fire, police said. As they fled the scene, one of the gunmen shot and killed a local resident before hijacking his car.

Kazakhstan has declared terrorism situation after the attack and has put all its military units and armed forces institutions on alert, the country’s Defense Ministry reported on Monday.

The 27-year-old attacker, who was detained, also wounded two more policemen and is suspected of committing another murder last weekend, the interior ministry said. It added that he had an accomplice who was still at large.

The Interfax news agency, quoting a police source, said “a religious radical and probably a follower of non-traditional Islam”, had opened fire in central Almaty.

Residents told the agency that officers had warned them to stay away from the area on Abylai Khan Avenue, claiming that a “special operation” was underway.

“We are afraid to leave the office. People with multiple weapons. I do not know what to do, hands are shaking from fear. Shooting was right next to our office. Police of all passers-by being driven into the building to not injured,” said witnesses working near Nikolsky market.

The shootout began when a man tried to force his way into the Almaty Region Department of Internal Affairs. He was denied entry, after which he seized an officer’s gun and fled.

Eyewitness Bolat Mukasheva told Interfax that one participant of the shootout was in a car and heavily injured, while a further two were lying in the street.

The attack comes a month after 20 people were killed in the Kazakh city of Aktobe when groups of gunmen attacked a military base and a gun shop.

Oil-rich Kazakhstan has recently seen rare protests and violent acts by people angry at proposed land reforms.