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Special operation underway after terrorist attacks in northwestern Kazakhstan’s city

The police have detained another suspected militant

ASTANA, June 8. /TASS/. Special forces are carrying out an operation to detain the suspected militants involved in Sunday’s attacks on two gun shops and an army unit in Kazakhstan’s northwestern city of Aktobe, the Tengrinews agency has reported.

The effort is underway near a children’s educational center Akbobek where "a group of troops" has arrived. "They are equipped with body armors and armed with assault rifles," the news agency said. The gates of the center are closed and there is no access to the territory.

Another suspect detained

According to an official spokesman for the country’s Interior Ministry, the police have detained another suspected militant.

"A search for the other six criminals is ongoing," Almas Sadubayev said. "The law enforcers and special bodies are taking measures to search and detain criminals and also to ensure security in Aktobe," he added.

Sixteen people who have received various wounds remain in hospital, the chief doctor said, adding that their life is not under threat.

President Nursultan Nazarbayev  has ordered to detain all suspects and kill them if they offer resistance. "We know that they are in the region, they have been identified, the citizens have been warned. There is a need to detain all the criminals and kill them if there is armed resistance. Everyone must be punished in the most severe way," the president was quoted by his press service as saying.

On June 5, a group of "followers of radical, nontraditional religious movements" attacked two gun shops and an army unit of the National Guard in Aktobe, a city located 100 kilometers (60 miles) from Russia’s border, the Interior Ministry said. Seven people were killed in the attack, including three servicemen. Thirty eight people were wounded, the health ministry said.

A total of 13 criminals were killed in an anti-terrorist operation and four others were wounded. Another nine people were detained on suspicion of their involvement in the attacks. A moderate "yellow" terrorist alert has been declared in all regions of the republic for at least 40 days. The situation in Aktobe is under personal control of President Nursultan Nazarbayev.