In Kazakhstan, more than 2 thousand weapons were stolen during the riots in 2022

In Kazakhstan during the January 2022 riots, 2,960 weapons were stolen. This is reported on February 4 on the website of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the republic.

"During the riots were stolen 2960 units of service and civilian weapons. <...> Today the exact origin of 1226 units of weapons stolen during the January incident has been established," the press service of the agency informed.

It is specified that in January near the cemetery on the outskirts of Shymkent a cache of weapons was discovered, four smoothbore rifles and various ammunition were seized. Among them were weapons stolen from a gun store in Almaty during the January incident. Also in the basement of the house of a resident of Kostanai region were found and seized three Kalashnikov assault rifles.

On this fact, a criminal case has been initiated.

In addition, it is noted that, over the past three years as a result of operational activities, searches and raids were found and seized about 8 thousand firearms and traumatic weapons, 831 grenades, more than 112 thousand rounds of ammunition of different caliber and 722 places where weapons were hidden.

"Due to the fact that the criminals deliberately destroyed and erased the registration numbers of the remaining 6,765 units of seized weapons, on them appointed appropriate expertise," - commented the official representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan Shyngys Alekeshev.

Earlier, January 3, the country's President Kasym-Jomart Tokayev named the causes of mass riots in January 2022. According to him, the preconditions for mass riots in Kazakhstan were socio-economic problems and general stagnation in society.

On January 2, 2022, mass protests broke out in Kazakhstan over the increase in prices for liquefied gas. Soon the rallies turned into riots. In Alma-Ata, radicals stormed the administration building, set fire to the prosecutor's office and destroyed several buildings. Nineteen law enforcement officers were killed in the riots.

On the morning of January 5 of that year, Tokayev accepted the resignation of the government. Soon peacekeeping forces of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) were brought into the country. A few days later, the situation stabilized.