Ten people were killed when sacked oil workers clashed with riot police in Kazakhstan, a rare violent protest in the tightly controlled Central Asian state that has overshadowed celebrations to mark 20 years of independence.
Several people were also wounded after protesters stormed a stage in the oil city of Zhanaozen and set fire to the city administration building and the local headquarters of London-listed oil firm KazMunaiGas Exploration Production.
"Ten people were killed as a result of mass disorder. There are also some wounded, including police officers," Kazakh Prosecutor-General Askhat Daulbayev told a news conference, citing preliminary data.
He did not say who had been killed or how.
Mr Daulbayev said a group of investigators led by the interior minister had flown to the city on the orders of President Nursultan Nazarbayev "to take all necessary measures to preclude further criminal acts, identify and punish organisers of the disorder and restore public security in the town".
Violent protests scarcely occur in Kazakhstan, Central Asia's largest economy and oil producer, where 71-year-old Nazarbayev has ruled with a firm hand for more than 20 years. He has overseen massive foreign investment, mainly in oil and gas.
