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Media: Police evacuate residents of Almaty high-rise buildings

ASTANA, July 20. /TASS/. Kazakh law enforcers are evacuating residents of high-rise buildings in Almaty as part of a special operation, Kazinform news agency reported on Wednesday.

According to the news agency, police and the armed forces cordoned off the Rahat confectionary plant area. Vehicle traffic in the area has been blocked.

The city Department of Internal Affairs earlier said special investigative activities were underway in the center of the city asking citizens to stay calm and comply with requests of law enforcers.

At the moment, memorial services for the victims of Monday’s terrorist attack are held in the city.

On that day, unknown persons attacked the building of a district police department in Almaty and a department of Kazakhstan’s National Security Committee. The attack has killed four law enforcers, a border guard and a retired police officer. During the anti-terrorist operation security forces detained a 27-year-old native of Kyzylorda region (southern Kazakhstan) who was convicted twice for robbery with the use of violence and illegal acquisition and possession of firearms.

Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev described Monday’s incident in Almaty as an act of terror.