The President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev made a statement on May 10.

In his statement, the head of state said that on 7 and 9 May 2019, 231 citizens of Kazakhstan were evacuated from Syria.

"Following my instruction, on 7 and 9 May 2019, 231 citizens of Kazakhstan were evacuated from Syria. This included 156 children, mostly of pre-school age, 18 of whom are orphans".

According to Tokayev, the citizens of Kazakhstan who went to the battle zones are returning to Kazakhstan voluntarily.

"They are returning to Kazakhstan voluntarily, in the hope of starting a new life. Their children should not be made to suffer in a foreign land nor be held responsible for the mistakes of their parents. Kazakhstan reaffirms its commitment to countering terrorism, and to provide comprehensive assistance to citizens who are in a difficult situation. The humanitarian action will continue. We are not indifferent to the fate of our people", - noted the President.

In addition, he expressed his gratitude to the staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Security Committee and other government agencies, as well as to foreign partners who took part in this humanitarian operation.

QazaqTimes.com