Uzbekistan Warns Regional Extremism Threatens Afghanistan and Central Asia

DID Press: Uzbekistan warned that the spread of regional extremism poses a direct threat to Afghanistan and the security of Central Asian states, linking its concerns to instability in the Middle East.

Abdulaziz Kamilov, foreign policy adviser to the president of Uzbekistan, said in an interview with Uzbekistan 24 television that Tashkent’s decision to join a US-initiated “peace mission” is driven primarily by regional security concerns closely tied to developments in Afghanistan and the Middle East.

Kamilov said the objectives of the proposed initiative align with Uzbekistan’s foreign policy priorities, placing national, regional, and global security at the center of the decision.

He noted that some Uzbek citizens had joined extremist groups in the Middle East in previous years and later posed security challenges upon their return, adding that the government has sought to contain the threat through repatriation and reintegration programs.

Describing Afghanistan as one of the countries most affected by Middle Eastern instability, Kamilov said extremist groups relocated to Afghanistan following the outbreak of regional conflicts.

He stressed that Afghanistan’s security is inseparable from regional stability and called for coordinated international cooperation, arguing that lasting peace can only be achieved through joint efforts by the United States, Arab and Islamic countries, and Central Asian states.