Region

In Kyrgyzstan, An Unexpected Victory For Atambaev's Chosen Candidate

Sooronbai Jeenbekov has won Kyrgyzstan’s presidential election by a wider margin than anyone could have predicted during the campaign. (The views expressed in this blog post do not necessarily reflect those of RFE/RL.)

Analysis: How Close Is Turkmenistan To Instability?

A familiar kind of weird is returning to Turkmenistan. (The views expressed in this blog post do not necessarily reflect those of RFE/RL.)

What To Expect If U.S. Designates Iran's Revolutionary Guards As Terrorists

Reports suggest the United States could designate Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps as a terrorist organization. Tehran has warned that such a move would be met with a "firm, decisive, and crushing" response.

Why Uzbek Government Still Forces People To Pick Cotton

Can you imagine living in a place where every year the government forces you to pick 50 kilos of cotton, every day, for 12 straight days, for just 5 cents a kilo? That's the reality in Uzbekistan.

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.