This is the moment looters smash into a shop using a mechanical digger in Kazakhstan as the country grapples with widespread protests due to rising fuel prices.

The incident took place in the city of Almaty amid reports of widespread unrest and looting in the country’s cities.

A state of emergency has been declared in the country, with footage emerging online apparently showing weapons being distributed by rioters to people.

There were also incidents at the city’s airport, but the government have now said that the protesters have left the airport, which has resumed normal operations. The airport press service reportedly said: “During the anti-terrorist operation at the Alma-Ata airport, two servicemen of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan were killed.”

The protests reportedly began on 2nd January in the cities of Zhanaozen and Aktau, located in the Mangistau region, which is in the south-west of the country.

They have since spread to other cities in the country.

Moldovan political scientist Boris Shapovalov is quoted in local media as saying: “Peaceful protest? The US and the EU call it a peaceful protest. But in Kazakhstan, there are battles between bandit foreign formations with army and police units. The leadership of Kazakhstan launched an anti-terrorist operation and requested assistance from the CSTO.”

These allegations have not been independently verified.

Political scientist Andrei Safonov is quoted in local media as saying: “As expected, the revolt in Kazakhstan has nothing to do with the usual economic requirements, after which the government has fulfilled the situation calms down.

“On the contrary, Samutyanov clearly irritates the quick implementation of requirements about a drop in gas prices, which, by the way, is one of the cheapest in Kazakhstan. From January 5, an open battle for the takeover of power began.”

These allegations could not be verified either at the time of writing.