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Five more extremists killed in Kazakhstan special operation — interior ministry

Two others were detained

ASTANA, June 6. /TASS/. Kazakhstan’s law enforcers have killed another five members of an extremist group that attacked gun shops and an army unit in the northwestern city of Aktobe on Sunday, the press service of the country’s Interior Ministry has said.

The gunmen were killed when they offered resistance to police during an operation. Two others were detained. "A large amount of the stolen weapons has been seized," it said.

According to the ministry, after the attack on a Pallada gun shop on Sunday, the criminals split into two groups. One group consisting of six people stole a police car and attacked another gun shop where they stabbed two visitors. One of them was killed.

In a shootout with police, three criminals were killed, one was wounded and another one was detained. Two others managed to escape. They were located later outside the city and killed, the ministry said in a statement.

The second group of criminals seized a commuter bus and passengers disembarked. The gunmen broke through the gates of an army unit of Kazakhstan’s National Guard and opened fire on the troops and police. One group was blocked and the other one went into hiding. One of the criminals was killed in the shootout and another one was injured. Three National Guard officers were killed and six others were wounded.

A counterterrorism operation has been launched in the Aktobe region. The country’s troops have been put on alert. The situation in the city is "stable" and enterprises and public transport are working as normal, an official spokesman for the ministry said.