Central Asia

The silver medal is Turkmenistan’s first since independence in 1991.

Jenish Moldokmatov, a harsh critic of President Japarov, is facing charges of orchestrating riots during last October's unrest; the same unrest that saw Japarov rise to power.

Tajikistan’s leaders declared the country COVID-free back in January, but the recent death of the president’s sister, reportedly from COVID-19, exposes the reality: The pandemic isn’t over.

Moscow is also reported to be open to some kind of cooperation with the U.S., though far short of American bases in Central Asia.

As the Turkmen president’s son continues his tour of top government positions, digitalization remains a critical priority for the regime. 

The Taliban’s recent lightning offensive in northern Afghanistan may be a litmus test for the relevance of the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization.

Central Asian countries have begun coordinating their responses to the worsening security situation in Afghanistan. 

Kyrgyzstan has added additional reporting requirements for NGOs in the name of financial transparency, but opportunities for misuse concern activists and foreign governments.

Why is the Afghan government pursuing full membership in the SCO, and what would that step mean for the grouping?

Inandi's lawyer suggests possible Kyrgyz involvement in his client's kidnapping; others suggest Inandi has been tortured.

As the U.S. looks to station over-the-horizon capabilities to address issues in Afghanistan, Central Asia is an obvious locale.