Region

Villages Along Afghan-Pakistan Border Brace For ‘Berlin Wall’

For decades, Pashtun tribal people from the villages along the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan have ignored the invisible line that demarcates the two countries. But now they are bracing for the prospect of a Berlin Wall-style divide.

'They'll Take Us Into Custody': Turkish Teachers In Kazakhstan Fear Going Home

Turkish teachers in Kazakhstan fear they are being forced out of the country amid Ankara's hunt for alleged supporters of last year's failed coup.

Yazidi Women Held As IS Sex Slaves Recount Horrors Of Captivity

Yazidi women once held as sex slaves by Islamic State (IS) militants have recounted how they endured their horrific captivity.

Russia Ranks 38th On Competitiveness List; Kazakhstan 57th

Russia has led its partners in the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) with the highest ranking among the group in the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2017-18 Global Competitiveness Report.

Tajikistan Clamps Down On Loud Crying At Funerals

Tajikistan has issued regulations on how mourners can behave at funerals, forbidding wearing black, pulling one's hair, or wailing too loudly. The measures are part of wide-ranging restrictions on cultural life, intended, officials say, to promote Tajik traditions and rein in religious extremism.

Pakistan, Russia Begin 'Friendship 2017' Joint Anti-terror Drill

Vote Count Under Way After Large Turnout For Kurdish Independence Referendum

Vote counting was under way after a large voter turnout for a referendum on independence in Iraq's Kurdish autonomous region that came despite warnings from the United Nations, the United States, Turkey, and Iran that the ballot would fuel tensions in the region.

The Controversy Over A Kurdistan Referendum

In the capital of Iraq's Kurdistan region, traffic cameras nail speeders, and trash thrown on the street is whisked away by morning. High-level officials from all over the country dine at five-star hotels, and parks, malls, and cafes are packed on nights and weekends.

Trump Urges Gulf Arab States To Settle Disputes And Unite Against Iran

U.S. President Donald Trump on September 8 urged Saudi Arabia and other Arab states to resolve their differences with Qatar and present a united front against Iran, the White House said.

Extremist Ties Turn Brother Against Brother In Tajikistan

Tajikistan has witnessed a growing number of its citizens joining Islamic extremists fighting in the Middle East. Shohmurod Kavrakov, a resident of the southern region of Danghara, says his younger brother tried to recruit him to join Islamic State militants in Syria. (RFE/RL's Tajik Service)

Rohingya Refugees Seek Safety In Cramped Bangladesh Camp

UN workers estimate that a total of 87,000 mostly Rohingya refugees have arrived in Bangladesh since violence erupted in Burma, also known as Myanmar, on August 25. Video obtained by Reuters shows refugees sitting under makeshift tents in the Kutupalong camp in Bangladesh on September 5.