On February 7-8, 2020, ethnic clashes took place in several settlements of the Zhambyl region of Kazakhstan.
As a result of mass clashes of ethnic Kazakhs with Dungans and Uighurs, and following arsons and pogroms, 8 people were killed, about 140 were injured (37 were hospitalized, 9 in critical state), including 2 police officers with gunshot wound, more than 80 people were detained, besides at least 30 houses, 15 shops and 23 cars were burned and destroyed only in the Masanchi town (population more than 13 thousand). A martial law has been declared on the territory of the Kordai region by decision of the government. In addition, few settlements in the Alma-Aty and Taraz regions, with mainly ethnic Uigurs and Dungans population, as well as objects belonging to ethnic Chinese, were taken under armed police protection. An increase of migration flow through the border with Kyrgyzstan was registered. The government is trying to block messengers and social networks. Earlier in 2019-2020, there were cases of attacks to Chinese businessmen from the side of “Kazakh Cossacks”.
The Chinese diaspora recorded an appeal to the people of Kazakhstan with a request to stop the attacks, citing the fact that they are "law-abiding and hardworking citizens." People on the streets and in social networks require to dissolve the Assembly of People of Kazakhstan (AKP) and to cut the declared rights of ethnic and political minorities.
