Kazakh defense minister planning to resign over ammo depot blasts

NUR-SULTAN. Aug 27 (Interfax) - Kazakh Defense Minister Nurlan Yermekbayev is planning to resign over a series of explosions at ammo depots in southern Kazakhstan.

"I have made up my mind, I will resign, will tender my resignation. The head of state will decide," Yermekbayev told reporters.

The minister said he made the decision "as soon as he heard" about the incident in the Zhambyl region.

"For now, my primary task is to mitigate the consequences of this incident," Yermekbayev said.

The Kazakh Defense Ministry press service told Interfax the minister "is concerned about the mitigation of consequences, it is important to him that the aftermath is fully cleaned up."

"He will be ready to resign once that is done," the ministry said.