Order has been restored in Kazakhstan, says President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, in comments to a meeting of a Russian-led regional security alliance.
"Complete order has been restored in Kazakhstan. Threats to the country's security have been averted," Tokayev told a video meeting of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), adding that what he described as an anti-terrorist operation would soon be completed.
Tokayev called the unrest an "attempted coup" seeking to seize power, but did not provide further details. He also said there had been planned and coordinated attacks on the buildings of regional authorities, law enforcement agencies and prisons.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said the situation had not arisen from protests about fuel prices, but was due to "destructive forces from outside taking advantage of the situation."
The death toll from the riots remains unclear. Tokayev said 16 members of the security forces had been killed.
