Kyrgyzstan: "Two friends never fight for power"

CAUCASUS / CENTRAL ASIA - In Brief 11 Feb 2026 by Ivan Tchakarov
President Sadyr Japarov clears the decks ahead of a high-stakes presidential race looming larger. For the second time since Oct Kyrgyzstan has come to the fore in terms of offering us a glimpse of how the obscure political field in the country operates. In a largely unexpected, albeit probably not completely surprising move, the President Sadyr Japarov dismissed yesterday his long-time close confidante and ally Kamchybek Tashiev from the positions of Chairman of the State Committee for National Security (GKNB) since Deputy Prime Minister. The official statement read that the decision was taken in the in the interests of the state and to prevent internal divisions in society and between state institutions. Clearly, this was well-planned because Tashiev was abroad for medical purposes. This morning, Tashiev published a statement of his own arguing that, critically, the decision was unexpected for him, although he emphasized that the President's decision must be followed in any case. It is fair to say that Tashiev was popular with a loyal, and nationalist-minded constituency, but deeply divisive overall. He was certainly influential, and respected, but also feared in the Kyrgyz society. Famously, he once said that, having in mind Sadyr Japarov, that "two friends never fight for power". The event is significant and, I think, should be analyzed within the framework of the upcoming Jan 2027 Presidential Elections. The development follows the logic of the announcement of the snap Parliamentary Elections last Oct. At the time, I maintained the view that the most probable cause for the dissolution of the parliament is a strategic reset and control ahead of the more significant ...

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