NUR-SULTAN, January 16. /TASS/. More than 1,300 pieces of weapons were stolen from arms shops in Almaty during riots in early January, chief of the city police, Kanat Taimerdenov, said on Sunday.

"Groups of terrorists seized seven arms shops and stole weapons and munitions. As many as 1,347 pieces of weapons were stolen," he said.

According to Taimerdenov, the rioters made 27 attempts to seize the Almaty police department building. "Attacks were staged by professionally trained people who knew how to handle arms and knew fighting methods. They did not leave their killed and sounded. Seven attacks on morgues were staged and 41 bodies were stolen during the riots," he said.

Protests erupted in several Kazakh cities on January 2, escalating into mass riots with government buildings being ransacked in several cities a few days later. The ensuing violence left scores of people injured, with fatalities also being reported. Subsequently, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev turned to the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) requesting assistance from the Russia-led bloc and peacekeepers were deployed to Kazakhstan. Law and order, Kazakh authorities affirm, was restored to all of the country’s regions. According to the Kazakh prosecutor general’s office, more than 4,500 people were hurt during the riots and 225 bodies were taken to morgues.