On Sunday, unidentified armed assailants attacked two gun shops and a military unit in Aktobe. In response, the country's authorities announced an anti-terrorist operation. Kazakhstan’s Interior Ministry said that security forces killed 13 attackers who were radical followers of non-conventional religious movements, according to the ministry.
"Due to the fact that today, June 9, has been declared a national mourning day in Kazakhstan, President [Vladimir] Putin sent to President of Kazakhstan [Nursultan] Nazarbayev a telegram expressing condolences over the death of Kazakh military personnel and civilians as a result of a terrorist attack in the city of Aktobe. I repeat once more: it is due to the fact that precisely today was declared a day of national mourning by our Kazakh friends," Peskov said.
On Wednesday, Nazarbayev said the Aktobe attacks were the signs of a planned color revolution in the country. He called on the Kazakhs to be vigilant and stop any calls to "violent illegal actions" and assist the country's security forces.
