MOSCOW (AP) — Authorities say security forces have killed dozens of protesters and 12 police have died during extraordinarily violent demonstrations in Kazakhstan.

One police officer was found beheaded in escalating unrest that poses a growing challenge to authoritarian rule in the Central Asian nation.

Despite the severe response by authorities, protesters took the streets again in the country's largest city on Thursday.

Police were also out in force again, and Russian troops were on their way.

Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets in the worst protests the country has seen since gaining independence from the Soviet Union.

The demonstrations began over a near-doubling of prices for a type of vehicle fuel, but their size and rapid spread suggest they reflect wider discontent.

According to the Associated Press, on Thursday the government announced a price cap of 180 days on vehicle fuel and a moratorium on increasing utility rates.

It's unclear if the Russian troops have arrived in Kazakhstan, the news outlet reported.