Hundreds of demonstrators faced off with police in riot gears in the streets of Aktau in western Kazakhstan on Monday, the fourth day of violent protest movements in the region that already killed 14 people and wounded scores in two other cities.

The protest demanding the restoration of telephone and Internet service in Zhanaozen was peaceful and there was no arrest, according to the New York Times.

Zhanaozen is under a state of emergency after Friday's deadly clashes between striking oil workers and police. The strikers, who have been camping in the streets for several months, were angered by attempts to remove them and attacked police with stones and petrol bombs. The police opened fire killing 13 protesters.

The following day, another demonstrator was killed during clashes between protesters and police in Shetpe, 100 kilometres from Zhanaozen. The clashes in Shetpe erupted when protesters blocked the railroad at 1:24 p.m. and set fire on a train at 8 p.m.. Police opened fire to stop the rioting.

Prime Minister Karim Massimov on Monday ordered an investigation of the violence and talks with strikers to address their grievances.

Oil workers in the region have been striking since May to demand better wages and working conditions. The government and state oil companies responded by laying off 1,000 workers and arresting leaders of strikers.

Kazakhstan