Hours after it was reported that Kazakhstan security forces had been given the authorisation to “fire without warning” on protesters, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held a televised address on state television justifying his order.

President Tokayev, who had earlier described the protesters as “bandits” and “terrorists,” said that a “counter-terrorism” operation was underway and that security forces had been authorised to “shoot to kill without warning.”

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“The militants have not laid down their arms, they continue to commit crimes or are preparing for them. The fight against them must be pursued to the end. Whoever does not surrender will be destroyed,” the President said in the televised address, justifying the order.

President Tokayev also dismissed the possibility of holding talks with the protesters, saying, “What stupidity. What kind of talks can we hold with criminal and murderers? We had to deal with armed and well-prepared bandits, local as well as foreign. More precisely, with terrorists. So we have to destroy them, this will be done soon.”

It is understood that is “counter-terrorism” operation is being aided by Russia, who sent in paratroopers late on Thursday to help President Tokayev regain control of the situation in Kazakhstan. Reportedly, Russian forces will remain on Kazakh soil until the situation is brought under control.

Pro-Tokayev forces and protesters clashed repeatedly throughout the night on Thursday, and police have claimed that dozens of rioters have been killed, while over 2,000 protesters have been arrested.

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Having established a semblance of control over the situation, which had spiralled out of control early on Thursday, President Tokayev announced earlier on Friday that constitutional order had been “mainly restored” in the Central Asian country.

In the televised address, President Tokayev also extended his gratitude to Russian President Vladimir Putin for his assistance, and thanked China, Uzbekistan, and Turkey for voicing their support. He has also said that an investigation will be conducted to uncover why the state had “slept through the underground preparation of terrorist attacks, of militant sleeper cells.”