Kazakhstan President gives shoot to kill order to quell protests

The Kazakhstan President has cracked down on protests with Russia’s help and told those on the street security forces can shoot to kill without warning.

Dozens of people have died in the violence, the worst the country has seen since the end of the Soviet Union.

“Terrorists continue to damage public and private property and use weapons against citizens; I gave an order to law enforcement agencies and the army to shoot to kill without warning,” Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said.

Russia has sent in thousands of troops, with many more on standby.

Kazakhstan's neighbours, Belarus, Armenia, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan, are all reportedly sending troops, but the bulk of them are Russian paratroopers deployed in the country's biggest city Almaty.