Moscow, Jan 14 (IANS): The peacekeeping forces of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) have begun the handover of socially significant facilities to Kazakh law enforcement agencies, the Russian Defense Ministry has said.

"In accordance with the plan developed by the command of the CSTO Collective Peacekeeping Forces and the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the transfer of socially significant objects guarded by peacekeepers to law enforcement agencies of the country

began," it added in a statement on Thursday.

According to the Ministry, the peacekeeping units that have completed their assigned tasks started to prepare equipment for returning to their permanent deployment locations, Xinhua news agency reported.

"The return of the CSTO peacekeepers to their home countries will be organised in cooperation with the Kazakh side," it said.

The CSTO peacekeeping forces were deployed to the Central Asian country to help normalise the situation following days of violent protests.