Translation of Adam’s post from Russian-language neweurasia Kazakhstan.

According to the news reports, between 18 and 19 of March, there has been a conflict among the locals in Malovodnoe. The conflict became violent and resulted in the death of three people from gun wounds, five people were injured and taken to the hospital in a very bad state; the house and a car belonging to the parties to the conflict were burnt down. Reports vary as to the number of people who took part - from several to two hundred of young people.

The additional police forces were brought to Malovodnoe, security measures enforced, the criminal case initiated. “It is possible that the conflict is interethnic”, - added a source in the police, commenting for Interfax.

The very first reports were talking about the conflict between the “people from Caucasus” and Asians, apparently, between the Chechens, living in Almaty suburbs, and Kazakhs. However, the first official commentary - from the head of the press-service for MIA Bagdat Kozhakhmetov - did not only deny the possibility of a “conflict on interethnic, religious basis”, but also warned journalists against overblowing the issue and drawing premature conclusions. (more…)