Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev on Saturday declared a 20-day state of emergency and curfew in the western oil city of Zhanaozen, a day after at least 10 people were killed in violent clashes.

Nazarbayev issued a decree, published on the presidential website that bans strikes and public protests, restricts freedom of movement around Zhanaozen and limits access to and from the city.

The state of emergency takes effect immediately and will be in place until January 5, 2012, the decree said.-Reuters