(RFE/RL)
October 20, 2006 -- Reports from Kazakhstan's Caspian Sea port of Atyrau say a fight between Turkish and Kazakh workers has left nearly 140 people injured.
Atyrau Region Prosecutor Rakhimbek Mamyrbaev said 115 of the wounded required medical assistance and two were hospitalized.
Mamyrbaev told the Interfax-Kazakhstan news agency the fight involved over 300 Kazakh and 100 Turkish workers.
All the workers are contractors of the Tengizchevroil oil joint venture who are building a plant near the Tengiz oil field. Tengizchevroil said in a statement that the construction site will remain closed pending an investigation.
Prosecutors believe the fighting erupted when a Kazakh worker attempted on October 19 to cut into the queue at the company's cafeteria. The fight lasted several hours and a number of cars were reportedly burned.
(Kazakhstan Today, Interfax-Kazakhstan)
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