NUR-SULTAN, January 10. /TASS/. Foreign militants mostly from Central Asian countries, including Afghanistan and also from the Middle East participated in the recent mass riots in Kazakhstan, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said in a talk with European Council President Charles Michel held via a video conference on Monday.

"I have no doubts that this was a terror attack," the Kazakh presidential press office quoted Tokayev as saying in a statement posted on its website.

"This was a well-organized and prepared act of aggression against Kazakhstan with the participation of foreign gunmen mostly from Central Asian countries, including Afghanistan. There were also militants from the Middle East," the Kazakh leader said.

"Their intent was to create a zone of controlled chaos on our territory with the subsequent seizure of power. That is why, a counter-terror operation was launched in Kazakhstan," the press office quoted the Kazakh leader as saying.

Economic damage from the riots in Kazakhstan may amount to $2-3 billion, the Kazakh leader said.

"The president called the tragic events an unprecedented act of aggression and an encroachment on our statehood. He added that the terrorists’ violent actions entailed numerous victims among the law-enforcement personnel and civilians while about 1,300 businesses were affected and more than 100 shopping malls were attacked, and about 500 police cars were burnt," the statement says.

"In the estimate of Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, preliminary economic damage to the state may amount to $2-3 billion," the press release reads.

The Kazakh president also gave clear explanations about the deployment of the peacekeeping contingent of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in Kazakhstan.

"I want to stress that they are not taking part in combat operations. Their main task is to protect strategic facilities in Almaty and in the capital of Kazakhstan. This has enabled the Kazakh security and law-enforcement agencies to carry out measures to counter terrorists. The CSTO peacekeeping forces have been deployed in accordance with Articles 2 and 4 of the CSTO Collective Security Treaty. They will stay in Kazakhstan until the situation fully stabilizes," Tokayev said.

The Kazakh president also spoke about the cruel and violent actions of terrorists and bandits who attempted to undermine the Constitutional order in the republic and carry out a coup d’état. For his part, the European Council president stated his support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Kazakhstan. The talk between Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Charles Michel was held at the initiative of the European side in a friendly and trustworthy atmosphere, the Kazakh presidential press office informed.

Situation in Kazakhstan

Protests erupted in several Kazakh cities on January 2, escalating into mass riots with government buildings ransacked in several cities a few days later. The ensuing violence left scores of people injured, with fatalities also being reported. Subsequently, Kazakh President Tokayev turned to the Collective Security Treaty Organization requesting assistance from the Russia-led bloc. As a result, peacekeepers have already been deployed to Kazakhstan. Law and order, Kazakh authorities affirm, was restored to all of the country’s regions by the morning of January 7.