“As a man and citizen of Kazakhstan, I could not have acted differently“ - Hero from Almaty airport

Tengrinews.kz - Musa Abdraim, who disarmed an attacker at Almaty International Airport, explained why he offered himself in place of the hostage.

Abdraim said he volunteered to be taken hostage instead of the security officer, who was holding a service weapon.

"He (the attacker – Ed.) told me, 'Come closer.' I gestured for him not to approach because he had a weapon, and I was afraid something else might happen. So I said, 'Take me hostage instead of her.' The attacker replied, 'Then come closer,'" Abdraim told journalists.

According to him, as soon as he approached, the attacker released the woman and grabbed his arm. Meanwhile, police officers were trying to distract the assailant.

"I watched him carefully, and as soon as his grip weakened slightly, I had to seize the knife from his hands. As a man, as a citizen of the Republic of Kazakhstan, I simply could not have acted differently," Musa Abdraim shared.

The incident took place on March 7 in the pre-flight security check area.

According to airport officials, at approximately 11:45 AM, a disruptive man entered the domestic terminal (T1), pretending to be a passenger.

When aviation security officers asked him to present his documents, he grabbed a female security officer by the hair and threatened her with a knife.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has been informed about the hostage situation and has instructed that the brave man who disarmed the attacker be presented with a state award.