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Iran Espionage

Israel Arrests Man From Tajikistan Suspected of Spying for Iran

Israeli police said Thursday that a suspect from Tajikistan who holds a Russian passport had been arrested on suspicion of spying for Iran during the recent war. The suspect, identified as Behrouz Sobirgon, was arrested last month “on suspicion of security offenses involving contact with Iranian intelligence agencies and carrying out security missions under their direction,” police said on Telegram. “The investigation revealed that the suspect maintained contact with an Iranian foreign agent, with most of his security activity taking place during the 'Roaring Lion' war, when he sought to assist Iran in achieving operational gains and advancing its goals on the international stage against the State of Israel,” the Israeli police statement said. “It also emerged that the approach to Bahroz began with an apparently innocent job offer, but he soon realized it was an approach made by an Iranian agent and nevertheless continued contact with him.” Roaring Lion was the name given by Israel to airstrikes by the United States and Israel against Iran that began in February. A fragile ceasefire is currently in place. The statement said prosecutors plan to file a serious indictment against the alleged spy, along with a request for him to be detained during court proceedings in Tel Aviv. The Times of Israel said the Tajik national had informed his Iranian handler about the location of Iranian missile strikes in Israel, provided details about a building complex in Tel Aviv and Haifa port, and tried to photograph a security facility in northern Israel. The newspaper said an investigation was carried out by Israeli police, the Defense Ministry, and Shin Bet, Israel's internal security agency. There was no immediate public comment from Tajikistan about the arrest. Israel and Tajikistan do not have embassies in each other’s countries, but maintain diplomatic and other contacts through regional embassies and other channels.

1 week ago

road accidents

Highway Crash in Tajikistan Kills Eleven

Eleven people were killed on Thursday when a truck had brake failure and collided with two cars on a highway in Tajikistan, the government said. The accident happened in a rural area near Vahdat city on the Dushanbe-Kulob-Khorog highway at 6:30 a.m., killing the truck driver and a driver and nine passengers in the two cars, the Ministry of Internal Affairs said. Minister Ramazon Rahimzoda, the prosecutor of Vahdat and other officials visited the crash scene, according to the ministry. An investigation was underway. Vahdat is about 20 kilometers east of Dushanbe, Tajikistan’s capital. The Dushanbe-Kulob-Khorog highway is about 600 kilometers long and traverses mountainous terrain, linking the capital with Khorog, capital of the Gorno-Badakhshan autonomous region in eastern Tajikistan.

1 week ago

Flood Risk

Tajikistan Warns of Mudslides as Central Asia Expands Flood Cooperation

Authorities in Tajikistan say heavy rain could trigger mudslides in parts of the country in the coming days and have warned people to be extremely careful when traveling on roads near mountains and riverbanks. The warning was issued on Wednesday, days after government officials, scientists, and other delegates from across Central Asia met in Bishkek to discuss ways to address cross-border mudflows and floods. The three-day meeting, which ended on Friday, was organized by Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Emergency Situations and the Regional Environmental Center for Central Asia, a group that gets support from the World Bank and other international partners. Mudslides and flooding often hit parts of Central Asia in the spring and early summer, when rainfall, rising temperatures, snow and glacier melt, and increasing water levels threaten communities that scientists say are more vulnerable because of climate change. In the spring of 2024, flooding in Kazakhstan displaced thousands of people and damaged many homes and other buildings in what the government called the worst natural disaster in the country in 80 years. Central Asian governments are increasing cooperation on mitigation measures, including early warning systems, data sharing, and other projects to better protect their populations. As temperatures rise faster in Central Asia than the global average, Tajikistan is especially vulnerable because it is a mountainous country where glacier melt is a growing concern. Heavy rains and mudslides are possible through Friday, July 3, in mountainous and hilly areas across the country, as well as in Sughd Region in northwest Tajikistan, which borders Uzbekistan, and in Khatlon Region in the southwest, which borders Uzbekistan and Afghanistan, Tajikistan’s Ministry of Transport said. Citing meteorological experts, the ministry also warned of dust storms in Khatlon and the capital, Dushanbe, because of strong winds blowing from the south. “As a result of rising temperatures, glacier melt, and increasing water levels in the Panj, Vakhsh, Varzob, and Zeravshan rivers, there is a risk of mudflows in these areas,” the ministry said. It added that it had “instructed all road maintenance departments and institutions to monitor the condition of highways around the clock.” The possibility of flooding from glacier melt and rising river levels is not only a problem in mountainous areas in upstream countries such as Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, but also in downstream countries, including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, that rely on cross-border water supplies but are also vulnerable to natural disasters. Turkmenportal, an online news site, said the recent meeting in Kyrgyzstan on water cooperation in Central Asia was important to Turkmenistan because it “is located in the lower reaches of Central Asia's largest rivers and is directly dependent on the quality of transboundary cooperation in water management and flood risk reduction.”

1 week ago

Nuclear Legacy

Kurchatov: Kazakhstan’s Atomic City Finds New Life After Nuclear Tests

Strong winds, scorching sun, abandoned five-story apartment blocks standing next to occupied homes, crows and horses wandering the streets: this is how Kurchatov appears to visitors today. Once closed to outsiders, the city was the heart of Soviet nuclear science and military power. More than three decades after the closure of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site, how does this unique corner of Kazakhstan live now? Construction of the test site began on August 21, 1947. It covered 18,500 square kilometers at the intersection of what are now the Abai, Pavlodar, and Karaganda regions. Two years later, on August 29, 1949, the Soviet Union conducted its first nuclear test here. Soviet nuclear scientists helped create the country’s “nuclear shield,” but it was Kazakhstan that decades later brought the tests to an end. On August 29, 1991, by decree of President Nursultan Nazarbayev, the Semipalatinsk test site was officially closed. Over 42 years, at least 456 nuclear tests were carried out at the site, affecting more than 1.5 million people. The history of Kurchatov began as a military garrison. Because of its secrecy, the city changed names several times, including “Moscow-400,” “Nadezhda,” and “Bereg.” It later became known as Kurchatov, after Soviet physicist Igor Kurchatov, although for many years it remained better known by its code name: Semipalatinsk-21. The first builders and military personnel lived in extremely harsh conditions. “At first, many lived in dugouts, and the walls froze through completely,” older residents recall. “In winter, hair froze to the beds, and fingers were often frostbitten.” “I came to serve here from Moldova and thought I was going to a regional center. Instead, they sent us into the steppe, to the dugouts. No electricity, no heating, no gas. Cold, mud, wind. But I stayed anyway. I got married and later brought my parents here,” Viktor Bordei, who has lived in Kurchatov for 47 years, told The Times of Central Asia. [caption id="attachment_51250" align="aligncenter" width="1600"] Viktor Bordei, a resident of Kurchatov; image: TCA[/caption] For many who served at the test site, their work felt like a matter of honor. “We didn’t think about the consequences,” Bordei admits. “We believed we were strengthening the Soviet Union’s nuclear shield. Nobody spoke about the harm until Nazarbayev announced the damage done to nature and people. Of course, it’s painful to realize we were kept in the dark.” Over time, memories of that period have become intertwined with nostalgia. Former residents recall developed infrastructure, well-stocked stores, and strict order. After the military left, Kurchatov took years to recover, losing both people and housing while preserving the spirit of its unusual past. “I remember how the walls shook during the explosions. I also remember the day the military left. It was frightening, and nobody knew what would happen next. Now it hurts to see abandoned buildings and horses wandering the streets, but I don’t want to leave. The city is changing, and I believe in it,” says local resident Elena Kazachuk, who was born in Kurchatov. Zoya Lapshina...

1 week ago

Fuel Supply

Kyrgyzstan Seeks Alternative Fuel Suppliers as Russian Export Restrictions Hit

Russia’s restrictions on fuel exports are expected to put pressure on Kyrgyzstan, which remains heavily dependent on Russian petroleum supplies, First Deputy Prime Minister Daniyar Amangeldiev has said. Amangeldiev told 24.kg that the government had already moved to extend the existing duty-free fuel import mechanism in order to help stabilize the domestic market. “This issue has already been agreed within the ‘group of five’,” he said, referring to the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union. He said the fuel market remained stable for now and assured the public that the government was taking steps to prevent shortages of gasoline, diesel and aviation fuel. The comments followed an emergency meeting chaired by Prime Minister Adylbek Kasymaliev on fuel supply security, during which officials reviewed stock levels and import flows. Government officials said geopolitical tensions and disruptions to logistics were continuing to affect fuel markets and add pressure on prices. Authorities are also accelerating efforts to diversify fuel imports. Participants in the meeting said new supply channels were already being negotiated, with some concrete agreements reached. Kasymaliev ordered daily monitoring of fuel supplies and weekly coordination meetings to ensure a rapid response to emerging risks. On July 1, Kyrgyzstan’s Energy Ministry said it had launched talks with several countries to expand fuel imports and reduce dependence on a single supplier. Official requests have been sent to authorities in Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan as Bishkek seeks to secure additional supplies. The ministry said Kyrgyzstan imports the vast majority of its fuel and remains vulnerable to fluctuations in global oil prices, geopolitical instability in the Middle East, and disruptions to international logistics. Officials added that domestic fuel reserves are currently sufficient and that deliveries under previously signed contracts are continuing. The Energy Ministry said it is conducting daily monitoring together with the anti-monopoly regulator and holding consultations with fuel traders on logistics, pricing and stockpiling. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, the impact of Russia’s fuel restrictions is already being felt across the region. Kyrgyzstan has recently reported supply disruptions involving premium AI-95 and AI-98 gasoline. Kanatbek Eshatov, head of the country’s Association of Oil Traders, said some filling stations had experienced interruptions because of reduced and irregular Russian deliveries, combined with seasonal demand. Kyrgyzstan receives more than 90% of its gasoline imports from Russia. Between January and May 2026, Russia supplied more than 251,000 tons of gasoline, 235,150 tons of diesel fuel, and 48,150 tons of jet fuel to Kyrgyzstan, according to industry estimates.

1 week ago

Uranium

Kyrgyzstan Moves to Introduce Unified Monitoring System for Uranium Waste Sites

Kyrgyzstan is preparing to introduce a unified national system for radiological monitoring of former uranium production sites, tailings storage facilities, and other radioactive waste locations, shifting the focus from cleanup work to long-term oversight of Soviet-era uranium legacy sites. The draft resolution, published for public discussion by the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision, would establish a single framework for monitoring reclaimed uranium sites across the country. Under the proposed rules, state monitoring would cover protective engineering structures, surface and groundwater, soil, atmospheric air, and other environmental components surrounding radioactive sites. The ministry said the initiative was developed under Kyrgyzstan’s Environmental Security Concept through 2040 and had been coordinated with the International Atomic Energy Agency. “The draft resolution is aimed at establishing a unified procedure for organizing and conducting radioecological monitoring in areas containing former uranium production sites, radioactive tailings, and waste storage facilities after remediation work has been completed,” the ministry said in its explanatory note. Officials said that despite large-scale rehabilitation efforts, former uranium facilities in Kyrgyzstan continue to pose potential radiation risks, making permanent state oversight necessary. According to the ministry, Kyrgyzstan still holds significant volumes of radioactive waste generated by uranium mining and processing during the Soviet era. These tailings and mining dumps remain long-term potential sources of radiation exposure for both local populations and the environment. The ministry said the effectiveness of remediation can only be confirmed through systematic monitoring over an extended period after restoration works are completed. International organizations have also recommended long-term post-remediation monitoring, the ministry added. Kyrgyzstan is one of several Central Asian states still dealing with the environmental legacy of Soviet uranium mining. Sites such as Mailuu-Suu, Min-Kush, Kadji-Sai, and Shekaftar have been priorities for international remediation work because many are located near populated areas, river systems, or unstable terrain. Official data show that Kyrgyzstan has 92 toxic and radionuclide waste burial sites, including 34 that directly contain radioactive materials. A separate rehabilitation track has been carried out jointly by Kyrgyz emergency authorities and Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom. Other remediation efforts have been supported through the Environmental Remediation Account for Central Asia, which is managed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Over the past nine years, the Rosatom-linked program has covered more than 27 hectares of land, with more than 1.4 million cubic meters of radioactive tailings relocated. Total investments have exceeded $25 million. The proposed monitoring system would formalize the next stage: checking whether restored sites remain stable and whether contamination risks are contained over time.

2 weeks ago

Historical Research

Opinion: Scents of the Silk Road – Recreating the World of 1001 Nights

Editor’s note: This guest essay is by Efim Rezvan, editor-in-chief of Manuscripta Orientalia and a researcher involved in the Essences of the 1001 Nights project. What was the most valuable cargo carried by medieval caravans crossing Central Asia, or aboard Arab-Muslim ships transporting goods through the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea to the Middle East and Europe? Silk? Porcelain? Yes, in terms of overall volume, that is true. But if we compare volume or weight with value, prized incense and aromatic resins rank among the most valuable goods, with some varieties often compared with gold. Historical data and modern zoological studies suggest that a Bactrian camel in a Silk Road caravan could carry about 150 to 300 kilograms. Aromatic resins and other incense materials were often compared with gold, which helps explain why a relatively small load could represent extraordinary value. Of course, merchants would not treat gold and incense as identical cargo: the caravan system, refined over centuries, prioritized the safety and preservation of goods. As today, wars and epidemics influenced trade conditions, but the pricing trend remained the same. Why did people value incense so highly for thousands of years? Answers to this and many other questions may emerge through the scientific and exhibition project Essences of the 1001 Nights, the launch of which was announced by the international academic journal Manuscripta Orientalia. Researchers from the International Center for Islamic Studies at the Kunstkamera and Saint Petersburg State University are studying the history of Eastern fragrances in an effort to “bring medieval manuscripts to life” and, for the first time, present the public with the olfactory dimension of the legendary tales. Modern research now makes it possible to imagine more clearly what scents might have filled, for example, the bedroom of Scheherazade or the library of Shahryar, the protagonists of One Thousand and One Nights. The project promises not only comprehensive academic research. It will also take the form of an innovative exhibition, a journey through time and space, from the oases of Hadramaut in Yemen to the evergreen region of Dhofar in Oman, long associated with frankincense production and trade; from the streets and mosques of Bukhara and Samarkand to the shores of Sumatra and Java; from manuscript libraries to the offices of historians, chemists, and pharmacologists. The project’s main artistic innovation is the use of olfactory storytelling; narrative through scents. Organizers plan to present ten aromatic compositions that will serve as guides into the world of the Islamic Golden Age. [caption id="attachment_50999" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Incense seller. Sanaa, Yemen.[/caption] Scents of the Islamic Golden Age Why scents? The corpus of One Thousand and One Nights had largely taken shape by the early 16th century. Its oldest roots and many of its plots originated in India. Persian culture served as a bridge between India and the Arab world. It was the Persian collection Hezar Afsaneh (“A Thousand Tales”) that became the direct precursor of One Thousand and One Nights. The framing story of King Shahryar and the...

2 weeks ago

Afghanistan-Pakistan Conflict

Pakistani Airstrikes in Afghanistan Kill at Least 28 Civilians, UN Says

The United Nations says at least 28 civilians were killed and 49 injured in Pakistani airstrikes in several provinces in Afghanistan, as violence continues in the border region following ceasefire efforts that have repeatedly broken down. Women and children were among the casualties in the airstrikes in Paktia, Paktika, and Kunar provinces on Sunday night, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said on Monday. UNAMA said the figures were preliminary and that the toll could increase as hospitals treat the injured. Hamdullah Fitrat, a spokesman for the ruling Taliban in Afghanistan, announced a higher casualty toll than the UN. At least 36 civilians were killed and 163 others were injured, Fitrat said on X. Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the airstrikes hit militant hideouts and strongholds on the Afghan side of the border, killing at least two dozen militants in retaliation for attacks on targets in Pakistan. Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of providing sanctuary to militants who carry out attacks against Pakistani security forces, an allegation that the Taliban in Afghanistan denies. Besides humanitarian concerns, the ongoing violence is also a concern for Central Asian governments and business groups that are working to develop trade corridors and infrastructure projects linking their region with South Asia. Those projects, which would require close collaboration between Afghanistan and Pakistan, include the Trans-Afghan Railway, the TAPI natural gas pipeline, and the CASA-1000 electricity project.

2 weeks ago

Climate Change

Kyrgyzstan Mudflows Surge Past 2024 Total as Officials Warn of Climate Risks

Kyrgyzstan has recorded more than 240 mudflows since the beginning of 2026, already well above the 133 cases registered during the whole of 2024. The figures were reported by the country's Ministry of Emergency Situations following a series of destructive floods and mudflows in June, when heavy rain hit several parts of the country, damaging homes, farmland, and a wide range of infrastructure. According to the ministry, 66 mudflow and flooding incidents were recorded between June 19 and 21. The southern part of the country – Batken, Osh, Jalal-Abad, as well as the northern region of Talas were among the affected regions. More than 300 homes were damaged or flooded over that three-day period, while emergency crews evacuated around 50 people from dangerous areas. The ministry also reported heavy livestock losses. The deadliest recent incident occurred on June 24, when a mudflow swept away a car on the Osh-Alay highway, killing six people. The ministry had earlier reported two mudflow-related deaths this year, bringing the reported 2026 toll to at least eight. That remains lower than the 25 deaths recorded in 2024, despite the higher number of incidents this year. Emergency officials say improved response work and protective measures have helped reduce casualties, though the scale of the damage remains severe. Kyrgyzstan has faced repeated mudflow damage in recent years, including flooding in southern regions and around Issyk-Kul. Its mountainous geography makes it particularly exposed to mudflows, as well as avalanches and landslides. Officials have also pointed to climate change, saying heavier and less predictable rainfall is increasing the danger. [caption id="attachment_51096" align="alignnone" width="768"] Image: Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Kyrgyz Republic[/caption] The Ministry of Emergency Situations is working with counterparts in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan under the regional RESILAND CA+ program, which is backed by the World Bank. The project is designed to reduce disaster risks in particular through building protective infrastructure and improving forecasting. In Kyrgyzstan, the program covers 21 high-risk sites in four regions. Work has already begun on strengthening vulnerable areas and restoring mudflow-protection infrastructure. The regional push comes as Central Asian governments warn that climate-related disasters are becoming harder to manage at the national level alone. “Completely preventing mudflows is impossible, but their impact on people can be significantly reduced,” Deputy Emergency Situations Minister Akylbek Mazaripov said. He also urged residents to take greater care when building homes near riverbeds and other hazardous areas. “Each person’s safety is also their own responsibility,” Mazaripov said. “Before building a house near a riverbed, people need to understand that one day a mudflow may pass through there.” Emergency crews remain deployed in affected areas, where they are clearing riverbeds, repairing protective structures, and coordinating relief work with local authorities.

2 weeks ago

Air Cargo

Turkmenistan Says Air Belgium Will Launch Cargo Flights via Ashgabat

Air Belgium will start cargo flights through Ashgabat International Airport in early August, reflecting Turkmenistan’s hopes of becoming an air cargo hub between Asia and Europe despite its traditional restrictions on the aviation market. Sapar Palvanov, Turkmenistan’s ambassador in Brussels, discussed the plan with Air Belgium CEO Georges Chachati during a recent visit to the headquarters of the Belgian carrier, which focuses on cargo operations through aircraft charter and leasing operations. “Special attention was paid to the practical aspects of the upcoming launch of cargo flights, as well as to technical details related to the organization of this process,” the Turkmen embassy in Belgium said on Friday. “The parties also discussed the possibility of holding a symbolic ceremony to mark the first launch of cargo flights, which is expected to take place in early August of this year.” The embassy said that Chachati, who had met transport leaders during a visit to Turkmenistan, noted the “attractive conditions” at Ashgabat International Airport, including refueling services and technical support. Palvanov said “the development of air logistics is an important part of the country’s broader strategy to expand international transport connectivity and diversify cargo transportation routes,” according to the embassy. Air Belgium’s fleet includes Boeing B747-8F and Airbus A330-243F freighters, according to the Belgian Air Transport Association. The carrier originally served passengers but ran into financial trouble in the early 2020s and shifted its focus to cargo traffic. After entering bankruptcy last year, Air Belgium was rescued when CMA CGM, a French multinational that is one of the world’s top shipping groups, took over the carrier’s cargo operations. Relatively few foreign carriers fly to Turkmenistan compared with other Central Asian countries, including Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, which have taken more robust steps to welcome competition and visitors. Although Turkmenistan tightly regulates aviation and favors its national carrier, the country has invested in airport infrastructure and says it hopes to attract more international cargo carriers. Central Asia has become more important as a regional hub for air traffic because many carriers are seeking alternative routes between Europe and Asia amid Russia’s war in Ukraine and periodic conflict in the Middle East.

2 weeks ago

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