Kazakhstan: Gunmen attack, kill three policemen, one civilian
With Agency reports
The assault on policemen around the world over the weekend has continued with the killing of at least three policemen in Kazakhstan’s financial capital Almaty, Monday morning.
A civilian was also killed in the attack which security sources and witnesses have attributed to suspected Islamist militants.
Authorities said they have launched an anti-terrorist operation.
At least one attacker has reportedly been arrested while another was still at large.
The attackers targeted a district police station and an office of the KNB state security service. Another shootout occurred on a busy central street where police wounded and detained one of the attackers.
President Nursultan Nazarbayev convened an emergency meeting of his security council to discuss the attacks, his office said.
The attacks will stoke fears of a growing Islamist threat to the oil-producing nation of 18 million. Last month men the authorities described as Islamic State sympathizers attacked gun stores and a national guard facility, killing seven people.
One security source told Reuters the authorities believed Islamist militants were behind Monday’s attacks..
