Kazakhstan: Spotlight on the link between Turkish radicals and Afghan-Pakistani ultras

The role of Turkish radicals and their links with extremists based in the Af-Pak region have been examined for their alleged role in fueling riots and terrorist attacks in Kazakhstan.

Turkey has been an economic player and investor in Central Asia, including Kazakhstan, for decades and radicals from Turkey may have encroached on the landlocked region, Eurasian security agencies suspect. The role of these radicals in the current crisis in Kazakhstan and their links with extremists and radicals in the region of Afghanistan and Pakistan who allegedly played a role in the terrorist attacks are being probed by security establishments. , learned ET.

Turkey, which is a close ally of Pakistan, has been accused by critics of supporting radical views in West Asia, North Africa and Turkey’s extended neighborhood under Erdogan’s rule in recent years. .

Vladimir Avatkov, a lecturer at the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Foreign Ministry and a well-known Turkologist, told local media in Moscow that Turkey has been very cautious and cautious in its reaction to developments in Kazakhstan, which should explain his position. Turkey wanted Kazakhstan to adopt Turkish traditions and customs and was not satisfied with the rise of current Kazakh President Kassym Jomart Tokayev, who has close ties with Moscow, according to Avatkov. Turkey was expected to make strong statements in favor of Kazakhstan.

To date, two Kazakh servicemen have been killed and more than 160 injured in the terrorist attacks, ET has learned. The Kazakh government continues its counterterrorism operations and the leaders of the security czars have complained that they did not anticipate the situation described as efforts to change regime in the oil and uranium-rich republic. Senior Kazakh officials told ET that the country was under armed aggression by well-coordinated and trained terrorist groups abroad.