UPDATE - Turkish Airlines flight brings back stranded Turkish nationals from Kazakhstan

UPDATES WITH FLIGHT’S ARRIVAL IN TURKIYE, REVISED HEADLINE, DECK

By Izzet Taskiran

ISTANBUL (AA) – A special Turkish Airlines flight evacuating its stranded staff and other Turkish nationals from Kazakhstan arrived back in Istanbul late Tuesday, according to sources close to the air carrier.

The Boeing 777 landed at Istanbul Airport at 4.20 p.m. local time (0120GMT) from Almaty, the largest city in Kazakhstan, which recently has been rocked by protests and violence.

The aircraft brought back 167 passengers, including Turkish Airlines staff, employees of private air cargo companies, and Turkish nationals, added the sources, who asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the situation.

Earlier Tuesday, the aircraft took off from Almaty after getting necessary authorization from the Kazakh government and civil aviation authorities.

Turkish Airlines last Thursday suspended its passenger service between the countries for several days.

Last week, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev declared a state of emergency in response to protests over higher fuel prices.

He later requested help from the Collective Security Treaty Organization, a Russian-led military bloc, which sent troops to quell the unrest.

*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz​​​​​​​