Last week in Central Asia and the Caucasus, continued violence in Afghanistan ruled out the possibility of a ceasefire deal being reached at the ongoing peace talks. In Kazakhstan, opposition protests continued. In Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, approaching elections resulted in further violence and unrest. The most critical development of the week was the sudden spike…
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, clashes between Taliban and Afghan forces continued at lower levels in Afghanistan; opposition protests took place all over Kazakhstan; and fresh rounds of violence along the Kyrgyz-Uzbek-Tajik border resulted in casualties. Armenia and Azerbaijan continued to struggle with the coronavirus crisis, restricting movement for foreigners, as ceasefire…
In the volatile region of the Ferghana valley, where the borders of Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan converge (see map below), violent confrontations between locals and state forces have been a longstanding concern. Disputes between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are particularly frequent as almost half of the 971-kilometer-long border territory remains contested, creating challenges for local populations…
During the past two weeks in Central Asia and the Caucasus, deadly clashes continued in Afghanistan, though an unexpected truce by the Taliban decreased violence significantly. Protests related to coronavirus measures continued in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, as new regulations on civil society organizations and public events caused unrest in both countries. Border violence continued between…
Last week in Central Asia and the Caucasus, battles between Afghan security forces and the Taliban resulted in a high number of casualties, calling the US peace deal into question, while a deadly demonstration took place in Ghor province over the distribution of food aid during the coronavirus crisis. In Kazakhstan, flooding from a burst…
Over the past week in Central Asia and the Caucasus, significant developments include: continued fighting in Afghanistan resulting in civilian fatalities; arrests in Tajikistan targeting alleged supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood; and a court decision in Kazakhstan concerning two ethnic Kazakh men who fled from the Xinjiang region of China. Meanwhile, ceasefire violations between Armenia…
During the past week, key developments in Central Asia and the Caucasus include the establishment of a border protocol between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; protests over a new social aid policy in Kazakhstan; and a drop in the number of conflict events recorded in Afghanistan amid harsh winter conditions, and moves toward a potential new truce.…
Last week in Central Asia and the Caucasus, the number of reported civilian fatalities continued to rise in Afghanistan; elections in Abkhazia, Georgia were annulled following violent demonstrations; civil society pressured Kazakhstan to grant asylum to two ethnic Kazakhs from China’s Xinjiang region; and riots broke out on the Kyrgyz-Tajik-Uzbek border. Meanwhile, though ceasefire violations…
Key developments in Central Asia and the Caucasus since 15 December 2019 include opposition protests in Kazakhstan, border disputes between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, election results in Afghanistan, and continued ceasefire violations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. In Kazakhstan, demonstrations against government repression took place in the country’s biggest cities, Almaty and Nur-Sultan, as well as in…