Taliban accidentally wires money to Tajikistan-based opposition The embassy says it refuses to give back the cash. Kamila Ibragimova Dec 20, 2021
Kyrgyzstan, where partying is tough and playing is rough The end of the harvest is a time for ritual partying in southern Kyrgyzstan. The festivities can last for days. Danil Usmanov Dec 17, 2021
Uzbekistan’s traditional wordsmiths seek legacy in a changing world Changing tastes threaten askiya, a centuries-old Uzbek tradition that prizes wit, improvisation, and mastery of language. Dec 16, 2021
Kyrgyzstan: A stranded village on Tajik border struggles for survival Efforts to stop border trade are causing ethnic Kyrgyz to abandon a remote southern region. Peter Leonard Dec 9, 2021
Perspectives | Islamic State continues anti-Taliban PR push, with Tashkent in crosshairs The Islamic State in Afghanistan is using the Taliban’s cozy relations with Uzbekistan as propaganda fodder. Lucas Webber Dec 9, 2021
Uzbekistan pulls the plug on ‘negative influence’ TikTok festival Tashkent is regretting its early embrace of the Chinese app. Dec 8, 2021
Tajikistan press-gangs an army to defend long Afghan border The conscripts, generally Tajikistan’s poorest young men, are brutalized into service. And they are the country’s first line of defense. Kamila Ibragimova Dec 2, 2021
The great paywall of Turkmenistan Letters from Washington, cybersecurity cooperation with China, and negotiating with a bankrupt Taliban. This and more in our weekly briefing. Akhal-Teke: A Turkmenistan Bulletin Nov 23, 2021
Uzbekistan: Afghans fleeing Taliban get cold shoulder from Tashkent Uzbekistan says it will not accept Afghan refugees. Nov 18, 2021
‘Expect less water next year,’ Kyrgyzstan warns downstream neighbors Relations between upstream and downstream Central Asian countries can be tense. This won’t help. Ayzirek Imanaliyeva Nov 5, 2021
Perspectives | Islamic State using China to vilify Taliban Since the Taliban took Kabul, Islamic State sympathizers across South Asia have increased attacks on the movement over its ties to China. Lucas Webber Nov 4, 2021
Russia urges Afghanistan’s neighbors not to welcome US forces Uzbekistan has been discussed as the most likely contender to accept some sort of U.S. military presence, even as Tashkent consistently denies the possibility. Oct 28, 2021
Event | Russia looks to Taliban to contain Islamic State in Afghanistan Moscow seems willing to tolerate Taliban rights abuses, if the movement can get the job done. Oct 28, 2021
China to build Tajik police base on Afghan border It will not be the first border facility China has built for Tajikistan. Kamila Ibragimova Oct 27, 2021
Kyrgyzstan fortifies border as negotiations with Tajikistan drag on Bishkek is buying armed drones while pressing Dushanbe to finalize border talks. Ayzirek Imanaliyeva Oct 26, 2021