Kazakhstan Rocked By A Series Of 'Extremist' Attacks

Al Jazeera: Kazakhstan: 17 killed in series of 'extremist' attacks

Unlike its Central Asian neighbours, oil-rich nation of 18 million has rarely seen attacks by religious hardliners.

At least 17 people, including 11 "extremists," were killed during a series of attacks in oil-rich Kazakhstan, an increasingly authoritarian ex-Soviet nation that has largely avoided violence by religious zealots, officials said Monday.

Groups of gunmen attacked two arms shops to seize weapons and rammed a minibus through the doors of a national guard base in the northwestern Kazakh city of Aktobe on Sunday, Interior Ministry spokesman Almas Sadubayev said in televised remarks.

He said the attackers killed three civilians and three security officers and wounded scores more, but were repelled in a counter-terrorism operation. Eleven assailants were killed and seven more captured.

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More News On Extremist Attacks In Kazakhstan

Kazakh 'Counterterror Operation' Continues -- RFE
Kazakhstan: At Least 10 Killed in Unrest Blamed on Extremists -- Eurasianet.org
Suspected militants attack Kazakh guard base, kill six -- Reuters
Militants launch deadly attack on army facility in Kazakhstan -- DW
Five more extremists killed in Kazakhstan special operation — interior ministry -- TASS
Reports: 6 Dead in Armed Attack in Northern Kazakhstan -- AP
Police arrest, kill radical Islamist gang, after attack on military base in Kazakhstan -- RT
Kazakhstan: Gunmen attack gun shops and army unit in Aktobe -- BBC
Almost 40 people wounded in attacks in Kazakhstan’s Aktobe — ministry -- TASS
Red Terror Alert Declared After Attack in Kazakhstan -- Moscow Times
Kazakhstan issues nationwide ‘yellow’ terrorism alert after Islamist attack on military base -- RT
Why Do So Many Bad Things Happen To Western Kazakhstan? -- RFE