Kazakh President Tokayev thanks Russia's Putin for help during January protests

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev thanked his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Thursday for helping to prevent what Tokayev has claimed was a coup in the Central Asian nation last month, which both leaders blamed on international "bandits" and "terrorists".

Putin said Kazakhstan, Moscow's close ally, was now firmly standing on its feet and expressed hope the two countries would continue their cooperation.

A Russia-led security bloc sent troops to Kazakhstan last month amid the worst unrest in the former Soviet republic's post-Soviet history.

UN-mandated independent human rights experts have previously condemned the Kazakh authorities for the use of deadly force against demonstrators in the Central Asian state and for labelling opponents "terrorists".

Fuel price rises rises sparked the unrest in western provincial areas of Kazakhstan but quickly reached large cities, including the economic hub Almaty, where riots erupted and police opened fire using live rounds.

(Reuters, AFP)