At least 164 dead in Kazakhstan unrest

At least 164 people were killed and almost 6,000 arrested following violent riots sparked by hike in fuel prices in the central Asian country of Kazakhstan this week, according to media reports on Sunday citing the health ministry. The nation of 19 million people has been rocked by a week of upheaval, with a number of foreigners detained over the unrest. The death toll including 103 fatalities in the largest city of Almaty. Officials previously said 26 “armed criminals” had been killed and that 16 security officers had died. In total, 5,800 people have been detained for questioning, the presidency said in a statement on Sunday. The figures included “a substantial number of foreign nationals”, it said without elaborating.“the situation has stabilised in all regions of the country,” even if security forces were continuing “clean-up” operations, the statement said after President Kassym-jomart Tokayev held a crisis meeting.