Kazakhstan on Thursday set fuel price limits for six months, the government said, after a new year increase in prices triggered protests that turned into mass unrest.

Demonstrations were carried out across the Central Asian nation of 19 million this week in outrage over a price hike on liquid petroleum gas (LPG), which is widely used to fuel cars in the west of the country.

Thousands took to the streets in the oil and gas exporting country's largest city Almaty and in the western province of Mangystau, arguing that the price rise was unfair given Kazakhstan's vast energy reserves.

The protests escalated into widespread unrest on Wednesday, with demonstrators storming government buildings and dozens of casualties reported after clashes with security officers. At least 12 police officers died during the clashes. According to media reports, some of them were beheaded.

"The government took urgent measures to stabilize the socio-economic situation," Kazakhstan's government said in a statement, adding it would be instituting a 180-day moratorium on price rises on LPG as well as gasoline, diesel fuel and utilities in a host of cities and provinces.

The government also temporarily banned the export of foods including beef, lamb, potatoes and carrots "to stabilize prices for socially significant food products."