Uzbekistan Features - The Times Of Central Asia

Viewing results 13 - 18 of 187

West Monitors Syria for Plans of Jihadis, Some From Central Asia

Some counterterrorism experts in the West are assessing whether the ouster of Bashar Assad´s regime in Syria will lead to a recalibration of the Islamic militant groups that opposed him, some of which include especially hardline recruits from Central Asia. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Syrian group that led an offensive into Aleppo and Damascus and forced Assad to flee in a span of two weeks, is trying to turn to governance with a relatively moderate image even though it was associated with Al-Qaeda earlier in the Syrian civil war and is labeled a terrorist organization on some Western lists. It’s too early to say whether HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani will stick to a message of tolerance or can make it work in a fractured country with gutted institutions, but there are signs that some jihadis object to his message of inclusiveness. “Many of them are Central Asians and they may look to go somewhere else. I think we’re inevitably going to see a certain amount of splintering from what happens in Syria,” said Colin Clarke, a terrorism researcher and author of After the Caliphate. At an Atlantic Council event in Washington on Wednesday, Clarke said there is an “interplay” between religious extremism in Afghanistan and Syria, and that a number of groups with Central Asian members have those connections. Clarke said he will be watching to see whether the connections grow following Assad’s abrupt exit after more than two decades in power. Some estimates put the number of Islamic militants who have traveled from Central Asia to Syria and Iraq over the years at around several thousand, though the figures vary and are difficult to confirm. Many joined the Islamic State group, which was defeated in Iraq and is much diminished in Syria although the U.S. recently carried out air strikes to prevent any resurgence by the group amid Syria’s current upheaval. One jihadist group with Central Asia links that collaborated with HTS in the successful campaign against Assad is Katibat al Tawhid wal Jihad, designated a terror group by the U.S. State Department in 2022. The group carried out a Saint Petersburg, Russia metro attack in 2017 that killed 14 passengers and injured 50 others, as well as a suicide car bombing of the Chinese embassy in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan in 2016 that injured three people, according to the U.S. Katibat al Tawhid wal Jihad is comprised mainly of Uzbek, Tajik and Kyrgyz combatants, according to Daniele Garofalo Monitoring, which traces jihadist propaganda and military activity. There are an estimated 400-500 fighters in the group. Another HTS ally is Katibat Mujaheddin Ghuroba Division, which has between 200 and 400 fighters, according to the Garofalo site. Many are Uzbeks, Tajiks and Uyghurs, though the group also has Arab militants. There is also Jaysh al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar, which dates to the early stages of the Syrian civil war that began in 2011. The jihadist group is believed to have 400-500 fighters, mostly Chechens, Tajiks, Dagestanis, Azerbaijanis, Kazakhs and Ukrainians, as well as...

Home Uzbekistan Turkmenistan Uzbekistan Features Turkmenistan Business & Economy Uzbekistan Business & Economy Business & Economy Turkmenistan Features Features

Turkmenistan to Boost Gas Exports to Neighbor Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan has agreed to purchase more natural gas from Turkmenistan, though the amount of additional gas and the price remain unclear. Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev spoke by phone with the chairman of Turkmenistan’s Halk Maslahaty (People’s Council) and leader of the country Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov on December 5 to discuss the deal. According to Turkmen state news, Berdimuhamedov “agreed to the increase” of Turkmen gas to Uzbekistan, and it would not be surprising if Berdimuhamedov was quietly dancing in celebration on the other end of the line. Anxious to Sell Turkmenistan has the fourth largest gas reserves in the world, some 17.5 trillion cubic meters, at least. To put that in perspective, the 27 countries of the European Union, combined, used 350 billion cubic meters of gas in 2022, meaning Turkmenistan has enough gas to meet all the EU’s gas needs, at current levels, for 50 years. Unfortunately, more than 33 years after becoming independent, Turkmenistan still does not have many customers for its gas. There is China, which buys the most Turkmen gas, some 35 billion cubic meters (bcm), Uzbekistan, which in recent years has been purchasing 1.5-2 bcm annually from Turkmenistan, and Azerbaijan, which gets 1-1.5 bcm of Turkmen gas via a swap arrangement involving Iran. Turkmenistan’s only successful recent export deal is with Iraq for 10 bcm, which involves a swap arrangement with Iran that will require maintenance work and repairs on Turkmenistan’s and Iran’s pipelines. Turkmenistan just lost Russia as a customer after the contract for Russia to purchase up to 5.5 bcm of Turkmen gas expired at the end of June 2024. The expiration of the agreement with Russia meant Turkmenistan lost its second biggest buyer, but that might now turn out to be good news for Uzbekistan. Anxious to Buy The jump in the number of people and accompanying expansion of service infrastructure have combined with Uzbekistan’s gross failure to increase domestic gas output to make Uzbekistan a net gas importer. In late January 2023, Uzbek media reported the country produced some 51.7 bcm of gas in 2022 and said plans called for increasing that to 56.3 bcm in 2023. Instead, gas production fell to 46.7 bcm in 2023, and it is set to decrease further in 2024. Uzbekistan signed its first contract for Turkmen gas in December 2022. That deal was for 1.5 bcm annually, but in August 2023, the two countries agreed to boost that to 2 bcm. However, that was not enough to fill Uzbekistan’s growing gas consumption needs. In June 2023, Uzbekistan signed a two-year agreement to import up to 2.8 bcm of gas from Russia, but by March 2024, reports showed Uzbekistan looking to increase Russian gas imports to 11 bcm starting in 2026. It looks like some of the 5.5 bcm Turkmenistan was until recently selling to Russia will instead be sent to Uzbekistan, so for Turkmenistan, the gas deal with Uzbekistan only recovers some of the revenue lost with the expiration of the contract with Russia....

Central Asia Uzbekistan Uzbekistan Features Business & Economy Uzbekistan Business & Economy Features

Uzbekistan and IAEA Agree on Roadmap for Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation

Uzbekistan and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have agreed on a comprehensive roadmap to expand cooperation in peaceful nuclear development. The agreement was reached during the meeting on December 4 between Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, where they discussed broadening bilateral cooperation and exploring new areas of practical partnership. A History of Collaboration Uzbekistan has been a member state of the IAEA since 1994. Over the past three decades, more than 40 joint projects have been implemented with the technical assistance of the agency. Currently, five active projects focus on strengthening Uzbekistan’s legal framework and institutional capacity, as well as advancing nuclear science, healthcare, and related sectors. Mirziyoyev praised the productive results of the IAEA delegation’s meetings with Uzbekistan’s ministries, agencies, and scientific organizations. He also welcomed the upcoming International Conference on Nuclear Energy, which will be held in Samarkand on December 5 with the participation of leading experts in the field. Priority Areas for Cooperation The meeting outlined several key priorities for Uzbekistan-IAEA cooperation, including: • Enhancing the capacity and competence of national agencies. • Preparing high-skilled personnel for nuclear-related fields. • Developing nuclear energy, agriculture, water use, healthcare, and ecological programs under the IAEA’s guidance. Adoption of a Joint Roadmap As a result of the meeting, Uzbekistan and the IAEA agreed to adopt a joint roadmap to strengthen multidimensional cooperation in peaceful nuclear development. Nuclear Power Plant Construction In related developments, The Times of Central Asia has previously reported that Russia’s Atomstroyexport and Uzbekistan’s Directorate for NPP Construction have signed a contract to build a small-capacity nuclear power plant (SCNPP) in the Jizzakh region. The plant will feature a Russian-designed ASMP with a total capacity of 330 MW, consisting of six 55 MW reactors. Rosatom will serve as the primary contractor, with contributions from local Uzbek companies. The collaboration between Uzbekistan and the IAEA, along with the planned nuclear power plant, highlights the country’s commitment to advancing nuclear technology for peaceful purposes while addressing energy and sustainability challenges.

Home Justice Uzbekistan Uzbekistan Features Uzbekistan Justice Features

U.S. Sanctions Former Uzbek Officials in Orphan Abuse Case

The United States has imposed sanctions on three former officials in Uzbekistan’s government who were involved in human trafficking as well as physical and sexual violence toward orphan children. The three people, who carried out the crimes during their tenure as government employees, are now ineligible for entry into the United States and any property or entities in the U.S. that they own are “blocked” in line with the sanctions, the U.S. Department of the Treasury said Monday. American citizens are also barred from doing any transactions related to the blocked assets, it said. The sanctioned individuals were identified as Yulduz Khudaiberganova, who was director of a state-run orphanage in Urgench, in Khorezm region, at the time of the abuses; Anvar Kuryazov, who was head of the Khorezm regional justice department; and Aybek Masharipov, who was head of the district emergency department. “For at least 10 months, Khudaiberganova forced at least three underage girls to engage in sexual acts with at least six different men in exchange for funds and goods,” said the Treasury statement, which was released on the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery. “Khudaiberganova used various coercive tactics to ensure the girls’ compliance, including physical beatings, threats, starvation, and isolation from their peers. Both Masharipov and Kuryazov demanded sexual access to orphans in compensation for ‘gifts’ they provided to the orphanage. Kuryazov and Masharipov repeatedly visited the orphanage in order to prey upon the young girls,” it said. Uzbek media have previously reported on the case, saying a district court in Khorezm sentenced Khudaiberganova to five and a half years in prison, while the two men were given one and a half years of partial house arrest that barred them from leaving their homes from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. The sentences were handed down in 2022 but an appeals court took up the case in 2023 after Nemolchi.uz, a non-governmental group that campaigns against gender-based violence, publicized the light sentences, causing a public outcry. Kuryazov and Masharipov were subsequently sentenced to three years in prison. “This was the most severe punishment given the legislation in force at the time of the crime,” Nemolchi.uz said on Telegram after the U.S. sanctions announcement. The group has pushed for tougher laws in Uzbekistan to shield children from sexual abuse, and the government has taken steps to strengthen protections.

Central Asia Home Uzbekistan International Affairs Tajikistan Uzbekistan Features Local Politics Kyrgyzstan Kazakhstan International Affairs Tajikistan Features Business & Economy Kazakhstan Features Kyrgyzstan Features

Russian MP Blames Central Asians for Ruble Depreciation

Mikhail Matveyev, a member of Russia’s State Duma, has attributed the depreciation of the Russian ruble in part to remittances by labor migrants from Central Asia and the Caucasus. In a statement on his Telegram channel, Matveyev argued that millions of migrants working in Russia transfer their earnings abroad, removing significant sums from the Russian economy. According to him, these remittances fuel demand for foreign currencies, such as the dollar, thereby weakening the ruble. Citing statistics, Matveyev claimed that in 2023, labor migrants sent $5.7 billion from Russia to Tajikistan - nearly half of Tajikistan’s GDP. Kyrgyzstan received remittances equal to about one-third of its GDP, while Uzbekistan received over $14.5 billion, accounting for 12-15% of its GDP. Other significant recipients included Georgia (over $2 billion), Armenia (over $3 billion), and Kazakhstan. Matveyev also criticized some of these countries for their stance on Western sanctions against Russia. He noted that several countries in the Eurasia region have joined sanctions targeting Russian banks and refuse to process transactions using the Russian Mir payment system. This, he said, forces migrants to withdraw cash dollars from Russia to transfer home, exacerbating the pressure on the ruble exchange rate. The MP’s remarks came amid a sharp drop in the ruble’s value against the dollar last week. For more than 30 years, millions of Central Asian citizens have migrated to Russia for work. However, recent trends indicate an increase in return migration, driven by Russia’s deteriorating economic conditions, stricter immigration rules, worsening attitudes toward Central Asian workers, and attempts by Russian authorities to recruit immigrants - both with and without Russian citizenship - for military service in Ukraine.

Defense healthcare Environment Uzbekistan Environment Central Asia Home Justice Uzbekistan International Affairs Uzbekistan Features Uzbekistan Justice Features Uzbekistan International Affairs

Justice for Veterans: U.S. Acknowledges Cancer Cases Tied to Service at Uzbekistan’s K2 Base

Thousands of American veterans who served at Uzbekistan’s K2 airbase have reported rare cancers and diseases - but only now, more than two decades later, is the U.S. government taking steps to address their dire situation. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced plans to include bladder, urinary tract, and genitourinary cancers as conditions presumed to be linked to service at Uzbekistan’s Karshi-Khanabad airbase, known as K2. In 2001, the U.S. military moved into K2, a former Soviet airbase, to support a series of operations named “Enduring Freedom” which were purportedly aimed at tackling terrorism and Al-Qaeda in the wake of 9/11. However, in addition to the threat of terrorism, the troops faced another danger: the toxic environment. Reports from the base describe exposure to chemicals and radioactive materials. Soldiers recalled an underground “black bubble,” glowing lakes, and a chemical odor lingering in the air. [caption id="attachment_26149" align="aligncenter" width="634"] Image: Stronghold Freedom Foundation[/caption] The Karshi-Khanabad airbase was heavily used by the Soviet military during its operations in Afghanistan from 1979 to 1989, when it served as a site for producing, storing, and testing various weapons, including chemical weapons. The base also stored fuel, solvents, and other harmful substances. Additionally, it became a dumping ground for toxic waste, asbestos, enriched uranium, and other hazardous materials. Spills of these substances were frequent, leaving lasting environmental damage. Before the U.S. occupied K2, the destruction of Soviet-era missiles left some soil contaminated with low-level radioactive depleted uranium. The destruction of Soviet missiles was part of disarmament obligations under the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. A 2001 survey found traces that could be harmful if inhaled, and a 2002 assessment confirmed small amounts of uranium, identified as non-U.S. depleted uranium, outside Camp Stronghold Freedom’s perimeter. The affected area was covered with clean soil, fenced off, and marked as off-limits in November 2001. Furthermore, approximately 392 chemical compounds were found at the K2 Air Base. Thousands of military personnel who served in K2 suffered from severe illnesses, including rare forms of cancer, associated with their time at the base. However, over the years, the U.S. government and the VA have delayed recognition of the link between service in K2 and these health issues, leaving many veterans without adequate support. [caption id="attachment_26150" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Image: Stronghold Freedom Foundation[/caption] According to the Stronghold Freedom Foundation, K2 veterans are 500% more likely to get cancer than other veterans - 75% of U.S. service members deployed to Uzbekistan alone have developed at least one type of K2-related illness. On November 11, President Joe Biden announced an expansion of the PACT Act (Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act), a law he signed in August 2022 to improve healthcare for veterans exposed to toxins. President Biden stated that the act has already helped over a million veterans and their families access benefits. Under new efforts, the VA will add bladder cancer, ureter cancer, multiple myeloma, and certain types of leukemia to the list of presumptive conditions. This expansion applies...