Toqayev Hears Security Chief's Report, Dismisses KNB Deputy 

On October 25, 2025, President Qasym-Jomart Toqayev met with Yermek Sagimbayev, Chair of the National Security Committee (KNB), Orda.kz reports. 

Shortly after the meeting, the head of state dismissed one of the committee’s deputy chairmen. Kanat Dalmatov was relieved of his duties and replaced by Marat Irmenov.

His successor, Marat Irmenov, previously led a regional office of the KNB and holds the rank of major general of national security, according to the agency’s website.

During the meeting, Sagimbayev presented Toqayev with a report on the committee’s performance for the first nine months of the year. He said that since January, 67 people had been detained on charges of extremism and terrorism, while 83 individuals had been convicted for promoting radical ideologies.

The KNB, together with the Interior Ministry, reportedly disrupted the activities of 17 criminal groups, detaining 244 suspects, of whom 96 remain in custody.

He also reported the dismantling of 16 drug laboratories and the shutdown of 44 drug-trafficking networks — 25 international and 19 regional. Authorities confiscated about 20 tons of narcotics, including 13 tons of Colombian cocaine and 10 tons of chemical precursors.

According to the KNB head, the agency’s actions helped prevent 3.8 trillion tenge in losses to the state and return 255 billion tenge to the national budget. More than 90 corruption cases have been opened.

President Toqayev instructed the National Security Committee to continue strengthening operational efficiency and coordination with other law-enforcement bodies.

Original Author: Natalia Ovchinnikova