(CNN) Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has ordered security forces to "kill without warning" to crush the violent protests that have paralyzed the former Soviet republic and reportedly left dozens dead. Kazakh state media reported Friday that 18 security personnel and 26 "armed criminals" had been killed in violent protests. Tokayev said the situation had "stabilized" in Kazakhstan's largest city, Almaty, and that the "introduction of a state of emergency is yielding results." "I gave the order to law enforcement agencies and the army to open fire to kill without warning." The speech attempted to undermine the narrative that the demonstrations were a product of popular unrest that turned increasingly destructive and deadly.

Source: CNN January 07, 2022 10:41 UTC