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11 injured, one dies in unrest at railway station in Kazakhstan

А group of people appealing to support participants in protest actions in the city of Zhanaozen, blocked the local railway line
Photo www.obozrevatel.com
Photo www.obozrevatel.com

ASTANA, December 18 (Itar-Tass) — Twelve people were injured, and one of them has died, in mass unrest at the Shetpe railway station in Kazakhstan’s western Mangistau region, the General Prosecutor’s Office reports on Sunday.

According to its sources, a group of people appealing to support participants in protest actions in the city of Zhanaozen, blocked the local railway line. As a result “seven passenger and three freight trains were delayed,” the sources said.

At about 8 pm local time (6 pm Moscow time) on Saturday, police tried to unblock the railway line, but a group of about 50 people offered active resistance. They set on fire the diesel locomotive of a freight train and threw Molotov cocktails into the train.

“Then they moved to the settlement of Shetpe, where they set on fire a New Year tree, smashed shop windows and car windows,” the General Prosecutor’s Office reports. “Taking into consideration the fact that actions of hooligans threatened the life and health of peaceful citizens and police officers themselves, police had to use weapons,” the report said. According to early reports, 12 people were rushed to hospital with gunshot wounds, and one of them died.

According to the General Prosecutor’s Office, 11 people died during mass riots in Zhanaozen on Friday.