Central Asia

Tajik Rebels Lay Down Arms in Badakhshan

News of local politician's killing followed by internet blocks.

Tajik Unemployment Fuels Islamic Militancy

Eyewitnesses Recall 1990s Tajik Civil War

Unease Persists in South Kyrgyzstan

Lack of real reconciliation leaves Kyrgyz and Uzbek communities far apart.

Enjoying Multicultural Almaty

Kazakstan’s former capital has become a magnet for ambitious young Central Asians, attracted not just by opportunities but also by welcoming environment.

Southern Kyrgyz Mayor Strengthened by Local Polls

Observers say absence of unrest in Osh ahead of election was an achievement in itself.

Despite Ban, Tajik Islamists Continue Recruiting

Hizb ut-Tahrir now targets adolescents and vulnerable women, experts say.

Rent-a-Mob Protests in Central Asia

In Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, police and politicians recruit women as professional campaigners or just as troublemakers.

Kazak Spin Doctors Explain Police Shootings

First they imposed news blackout, then they devised alternative narrative for bloodshed.

Simmering Tensions Boil Over in Kazakstan

IWPR Central Asia editor Saule Mukhametrakhimova explains the backdrop to the protests, and how the authorities are handling the crisis.