Last week in Central Asia and the Caucasus, the long-awaited intra-Afghan talks began in Doha, Qatar, amid persistent violence in Afghanistan. In Kazakhstan, different labor groups staged protests demanding better labor rights, while claims of police torture continued to spark protests in Georgia’s South Ossetia region. Another political party was excluded from the upcoming elections…
Over the last month, key developments in Central Asia and the Caucasus include progress in Afghanistan’s upcoming peace talks, alongside ongoing violence, an IS resurgence, and clashes with Pakistan. In Kazakhstan, protests took place due to the economic and social impact of the ongoing coronavirus crisis. The worsening economy also sparked rare protests in Turkmenistan.…
In our special report on 10 conflicts to worry about at the start of 2020, ACLED identified a range of flashpoints and emerging crises where violent political disorder was likely to evolve and worsen over the course of the year: the Sahel, Mexico, Yemen, India, Somalia, Iran, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Lebanon, and the United States. Our…
Last week in Central Asia and the Caucasus, the Eid Al Adha ceasefire led to a decrease in fighting in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, clashes along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, and a deadly Islamic State (IS) attack in Jalalabad Prison, raised concerns about ending violence in the country over the long term. In Kazakhstan, restrictions meant to contain…
Last week in Central Asia and the Caucasus, Afghan operations against the Taliban resulted in a high number of fatalities while the Taliban also kept up its attacks. However, towards the end of the week, the group surprisingly announced a ceasefire along with a potential date to begin intra-Afghan talks. In Kazakhstan, violent confrontations took…
Last week in Central Asia and the Caucasus, despite intense clashes between the Taliban and Afghan forces, both parties continued to release prisoners as part of the US-Taliban deal, raising hopes about imminent intra-Afghan peace talks. Additionally, cross-border clashes and shelling took place between Afghan and Pakistan militaries. A sudden flare-up in the Armenia-Azerbaijan border…
Last week in Central Asia, despite the increasing violence between Taliban and Afghan forces, prisoner releases continued as stipulated by the peace deal between the US and the Taliban. Across the region, a second wave of the coronavirus led to a decrease in the number of protest events. In Georgia, border crossings from breakaway regions…
Last week in Central Asia, clashes between Afghan forces resulted in further civilian fatalities as coronavirus cases increased both in the country and reportedly within the Afghan army. In Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, governments reintroduced coronavirus restrictions, followed by protests by various groups in both countries. Meanwhile, unrest continued along the Kyrgyz-Tajik border. In the Caucasus,…
Last week in Central Asia and the Caucasus, ongoing violence and new intelligence reports once again overshadowed approaching peace talks in Afghanistan, as unidentified groups targeted civilians. Restrictions on freedom of speech and media caused unrest in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Georgia, while ceasefire violations continued on the Armenia-Azerbaijan-Artsakh Lines of Contact. In Afghanistan, fighting between…
Last week in Central Asia and the Caucasus, a spike in deadly clashes between Afghan forces and the Taliban overshadowed the peace process, with civilians targeted amid the fighting. The number of coronavirus cases surged in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, resulting in new restrictions, while authorities violently enforced pandemic-related regulations in Uzbekistan. The first anniversary of…