Kazakhstan: Almaty hit by deadly clash between police and protesters

Troops and protesters clashed in Kazakhstan's largest city Almaty on Thursday, with police saying tens of rioters had been "eliminated" as they tried to storm their offices.

Several armoured personnel carriers and dozens of troops entered the main square of Almaty on Thursday morning where hundreds of people were protesting against the government for the third day, Reuters correspondents reported from the scene.

Gunshots were heard as troops approached the crowd, according to Reuters witnesses, but the situation in the square had calmed down since then.

Around Kazakhstan, protests initially sparked by a fuel price rise killed eight police and national guard troops on Tuesday and Wednesday, prompting Kazakh president to appeal for help from a Russia-led security alliance, which offered to send peacekeeping forces.

State television reported on Thursday that the National Bank of Kazakhstan had decided to suspend work of banks in the country for the safety of their workers. The Internet in the country is mostly down.