A lone gunman with Islamist links killed at least three policemen and two civilians in Kazakhstan`s financial capital Almaty on Monday, senior security officials said, the second such attack in less than two months.

Police detained the attacker, identified as 26-year-old Ruslan Kulikbayev, in a shootout on a busy central street after he had gone on the rampage, attacking a police station and an office belonging to the KNB security service.

Kulikbayev had been imprisoned before for robbery and illegally possessing weapons and had "became close to Salafists" in prison, KNB security service head Vladimir Zhumakanov told a Security Council meeting.

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17:00

Eight people, injured during the armed attack in Almaty, have been hospitalized, said Kazakhstan`s Ministry of Healthcare and Social Development July 18.

Their condition is listed as serious, said the ministry.

Kazakh media reported about a shooting near the Almaly District Interior Department in the center of Almaty July 18 morning.

Four people, including three police officers and one civilian, were killed.

The suspect was arrested by the police.

An operation is underway to detain the criminal`s accomplice.

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12:49

The highest of terror alerts has been declared in the Kazakh city of Almaty following an armed attack on police officers Monday, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

At least four people dead, seven police officers in critical condition as Almaty goes into `Code Red` terror threat alert.

12:13

Kazakhstan Interior Ministry makes statement on the shootout with gunmen in the centre of Kazakhstan`s former capital Almaty: 3 policemen and 1 civilian killed.



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12:01

At least 3 police officers dead, 7 in critical condition as Almaty goes into `Code Red` terror threat alert

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11:01

At least two police officers dead, 7 in critical condition as Almaty goes into `Code Red` terror threat alert

Kazakh law enforcement announced a counter-terrorism operation in Almaty.

"In this regard we ask everyone not to leave their homes, to avoid crowded areas. All suspicious persons must be immediately reported to law enforcement agencies," the Department of internal Affairs said.

Witnesses report that one of the shooters may have been detained.



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10:52

Gunfire was heard near a police station in the center of Kazakhstan`s former capital Almaty on Monday morning.

At least two police officers have been killed, five more hospitalized in a shootout with gunmen in the centre of Kazakhstan`s former capital Almaty on Monday morning.



​"The emergency care hospital is taken under armed security. It`s reported that there are no victims among civilians. The hospital psychologists are on their way to work with the relatives of the injured men," Tengrinews.kz agency reported.

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10:43

WARNING! Some of the images below contain graphic content!



All gun shops in the city have closed on the orders of local authorities following the shooting, media reports.

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10:18

According to multiple witness accounts, a man wearing black ran onto a street wielding a gun and shot in the direction of the local police station.



The area is cordoned off by police with reports coming in that police are engaged in a shootout with at least one perpetrator.

All gun shops in the city have closed on the orders of local authorities following the shooting, media reports.

Задержание предполагаемого участника атаки на полицейских в алматы pic.twitter.com/1wYXV9LJ8q

— Михаил Козачков (@koza4koff) 18 July 2016

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