... negative interplay with the instability in neighbouring Afghanistan as well as with the prospect of the Middle Eastern conflict expanding into Central Asia and Afghanistan (including through mechanisms to recruit international terrorists and militants, Islamic State infiltrating Afghanistan and Central Asia, and the inflow of funds from the Middle East to support extremist and terrorist groups). However, under the “no change” scenario, the Turkmen authorities will manage to keep these processes under a certain level of control, which ...
... on politically-motivated charges. Now, he has been released and made the face of Uzbekistan's anti-ISIS campaign, a move that has been met with success, according to Noah Tucker in his report on public and state responses to ISIS messaging in Central Asia. Uzbekistan’s shift in strategy to measured promotion of Islamic expression and practice has been effective in countering extremist arguments, which can be seen in online social media, says Tucker. He notes instances of Uzbeks posting ...
A recent address by senior State Department official Daniel Rosenblum signaled a shift in the direction of American policy in Central Asia, reflecting some critical economic, political and security developments in the area. The June 9th speech comes after an unprecedented five-country tour of Central Asia-- Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan-- by ...
... “Development of the Situation in Afghanistan in 2016” held at the Russian International Affairs Council on April 18, 2016.
The three issues that cause the biggest concern are:
— the spread of instability from Afghanistan to the north and to the Central Asian states that border Russia;
— Russia’s transformation from a transit country into a market for Afghan heroin, which kills 25,000 Russians every year;
— the formation of Islamic State (DAISH) Infrastructure in Afghanistan, which may start exporting its practices to the Russian North Caucasus and the Volga region.
In this regard, the question being discussed in Russia is whether Moscow should once again interfere in the ...
...
Particular attention is paid to assessments of the situation regarding terrorists leaving, and then coming back to Europe, Russia and Central Asian countries; the link between migration and the recruitment of terrorists; and an analysis of the most common factors ... ... combat the recruitment of terrorists, as well as measures taken to reintegrate returning militants into society.
— Summary
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Islamic State Volunteers. Who are they?
Recruiting Foreign Terrorist Fighters and Dealing with Returnees: European Experience ...
... of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) took place on 15 September 2015 amid the Center–2015 Russian military exercise, the year’s most massive event of its kind, which focused on combat against illegal armed groups in the Central Asian dimension. The main theme of the maneuvers was due to predictions that the situation in Central Asia and Afghanistan may deteriorate. The Central Asian nations are well aware of this threat and make a point of potential assistance from the ...
... solid, but global practice shows that unity of such organizations is relative. It may well split into a myriad of factions and cells (similar to the nodal existence of al-Qaeda) which can be countered by the world community, rather than a single entity.
Islamic state. RIAC Reader
(In Russian)
Even a small foreign contingent on Afghan territory will deter both the Taliban and IS. A sharp rise in extremism in Central Asia seems unlikely any time soon, although individual attacks may be expected, posing grave risks of destabilization for the countries involved. Due to the poor governance in the post-Soviet space, Russia will also suffer from the aftereffects ...
