July 18, 2016
Suspected Islamist militants have killed at least four policemen and one civilian in Kazakhstan’s financial capital, Almaty, security and hospital sources said, the second attack on the security services in less than two months.
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 called the attacks a terrorist act and ordered tighter security in public areas.
The shootings will stoke fears of a growing Islamist threat to the oil-producing nation of 18 million people. Last month, men the authorities said were Islamic State sympathisers attacked gun stores and a military facility, killing seven.
