Religious Extremism and Terrorism in Central Asia: An Overview of Radical Groups

Abstract

In January 2019, the United States announced the defeat of the terrorist organization "Islamic State" (hereinafter referred to as ISIS). This marked an interim milestone in the years-long international fight against ISIS. However, zones of instability continue to attract radical groups. Today, they operate in Syria's Idlib province, Lebanon, Mali, and Nigeria. In addition, in 2021, the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan, significantly changing the status quo in the broader Central Asia+ region. In October 2023, a military operation began in Gaza, which also set various terrorist organizations in motion and pointed to a global ideological divide. In the context of events in Syria and Afghanistan, which over the past decade have become centres of the so-called "global jihad," the potential threats and risks posed by terrorist and extremist organizations from Central Asia are of significant scientific interest.

The purpose of this article is to analyse the activities of the main radical groups originating from Central Asia. The interest is primarily driven by the fact that an active process of institutionalization of Central Asian militant groups has taken place in Syria and Afghanistan, leading to the emergence of new associations. The study examines the conditions under which religious extremism spreads and presents a chronology of the formation of radical groups, as well as their place in the overall architecture of regional security. The novelty of this article lies in the assessment of existing trends, which suggest that religious extremism and terrorism will continue to be one of the main factors destabilizing the situation in the Central Asian region.

The ability of Central Asian countries to demonstrate resilience and leverage their internal strengths in addressing threats plays a crucial role in shaping the region's future as a secure, competitive, and prosperous part of the international landscape.