NUR-SULTAN, January 10. /TASS/. Sixteen law enforcement officers lost their lives during the recent violence in Kazakhstan, while the number of civilian deaths is being clarified, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said, addressing a video conference summit of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) on Monday.

"Sixteen law enforcement officers were killed, and over 1,300 suffered injuries. Unfortunately, civilian deaths were also reported, and the number is being clarified," he said.

According to Tokayev, 1,270 businesses were affected across the country, more than 100 shopping malls and banks were looted and about 500 police cars were burned. "Enormous damage has been caused, which is now being evaluated by a special government commission," the head of state added.

Protests erupted in several Kazakh cities on January 2, escalating into mass riots that involved attacks on police officers, service members, and government buildings in many cities of the country, first and foremost in Almaty. Thousands of people were injured, and the number of casualties is unknown. The CSTO sent peacekeepers to the country based on Tokayev’s request. Law and order, Kazakh authorities affirm, had been generally restored to all of the country’s regions by January 7.