Kazakhstan changes interior minister after deadly clashes

Kazakhstan has appointed a new interior minister after deadly clashes last month that were quelled with the help of foreign troops. 

Yerlan Turgumbayev, who was appointed interior minister in 2019 before the former head of state Nursultan Nazarbayev stepped down, was dismissed on Friday, according to an order published on the presidential website.

He was replaced by former anti-corruption chief Marat Akhmetzhanov. 

More than 200 people died after peaceful protests against a rise in gas prices descended into violence, leading President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to call in more than 2,000 Russia-led troops to re-establish control. 

The crisis claimed the scalps of a powerful national security chief allied to Nazarbayev as well as the defence minister, both of whom were arrested after their dismissals. 

READ MORE: Kazakhstan detains former defence minister over January unrest

Kazakhstan has advanced a terror narrative for the January violence. 

The crisis drew the curtain on the influence of veteran leader Nursultan Nazarbayev, who catapulted his protege Tokayev to power but pulled the strings prior to the rare nationwide protests. 

Nazarbayev, 81, appeared in public nearly two weeks after the violence peaked, to deny a rift with Tokayev. 

Nazarbayev's eldest daughter has relinquished her parliament seat, election authorities confirmed Friday. 

READ MORE: Kazakh ex-president stresses 'no conflict among elite'