Kazakhstan has encountered an attack by well-trained, armed foreign terrorists, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said on Friday.

"Calls have been made abroad, urging the sides to sit down for talks on a peaceful settlement of the problem. This is ridiculous. There could be no talks with criminals, killers. We have had to deal with armed, well-prepared militants, both local and foreign. These are no one but militants and terrorists," Tokayev said in his video address.