The US called on Russia to withdraw its troops from Kazakhstan without delay – SME.sk

WASHINGTON. The United States on Tuesday called on Russia to “urgently” comply with Kazakhstan’s request and withdraw its troops from the Central Asian country.

A contingent of Russian forces was deployed to quell the riots that erupted in Kazakhstan last week. Washington has previously criticized the move, according to AFP.

Kazakh President Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev announced on Tuesday that the departure of the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (ODKB) would begin in two days and last no more than ten days.

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However, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that their troops would leave the country only when the situation there was “completely stabilized”.

After the Kazakh leadership asked the ODKB for help in restoring public order, the organization sent more than 2,000 troops to the country. Although Russia calls the mission “peacekeeping,” the opposition says there is an invasion.

Tokyev, backed by Russia, called the riots an attempted coup and a terrorist attack, saying militants from Central Asia, Afghanistan and the Middle East were behind them.

However, this narrative is challenged by human rights organizations, which say the protests have largely raised concerns about soaring gas prices.

A State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters that the United States appreciated Tokayev’s statement ending the ODKB mission in Kazakhstan.

“Until the ODKB peacekeeping forces are withdrawn, we will continue to call on them to respect international human rights and to honor their commitment to leave Kazakhstan quickly, as demanded by the Kazakh government,” Price said.

The protests in Kazakhstan began on January 2 in response to rising gas prices and soon spread from the west to other parts of the country. The economic demands of the protesters were immediately replaced by political demands.

Since January 5, peaceful protests – especially in the largest city of Almaty – have begun to escalate into looting, arson, occupation of office buildings, armed incidents and theft.