Kazakhstan Protesters Seize Almaty International Airport... Asiana Passengers Stranded

Over 70 Asiana Airlines Passengers Stranded After Departure on the 5th
Severe Chaos Due to Intrusions at City Hall and Presidential Residence

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Protesters in Kazakhstan have occupied the international airport in Almaty, the largest city, escalating the chaos. As a result, passengers and crew of Asiana Airlines who departed from Incheon Airport to Almaty are reportedly stranded.

On the 5th (local time), according to foreign media including AFP, anti-government protests in Kazakhstan have spread nationwide, and protesters have occupied the international airport in Almaty, Kazakhstan's largest city. Consequently, more than 70 passengers and crew members of Asiana Airlines who arrived in Almaty after departing from Incheon Airport on the same day are reported to be stranded at the airport.

Earlier, the Kazakh government announced a reduction in subsidies for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) at the beginning of the year, causing LPG prices to double and prices to surge across the board, which triggered protests in response. Protesters reportedly occupied government offices in major cities including Almaty and broke into the presidential residence, committing arson.

Some protesters were armed with batons and shields seized from the police, and as clashes between military/police and protesters continued, at least eight military and police personnel were killed and 317 were injured. With approximately 19 million citizens participating in protests across most regions nationwide, the Kazakh government declared a state of emergency, cut off the internet, and the central bank announced a temporary suspension of operations of banks and the stock exchange nationwide.

The Kazakh government requested troop deployment from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a military security alliance of six former Soviet republics led by Russia. The CSTO also announced it would soon dispatch peacekeeping forces. Nikol Pashinyan, Prime Minister of Armenia, the chair country of the CSTO, stated on Facebook that "Based on Kazakhstan's request for troop deployment and the Collective Security Treaty, we have decided to temporarily dispatch collective peacekeeping forces to stabilize and normalize Kazakhstan."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.