News Article - Turkmenistan Remains in Uproar & Uncertainty

[1LT (Ret) Mallory]

The International Report
July 5th, 2022

Turkmenistan Civil Crisis Continues, UN Intervention Announced

TASHKENT, UZBEKISTAN - Chaos and uncertainty are among the key descriptions regarding the current state of affairs in Turkmenistan, as reports of what can only be described as the makings of a revolution against the sitting Turkmen regime by the military seem to be underway. The lack of information coming out of the central Asian nation can only be attributed to a media and communications blackout by way of shutting down all forms of electronic communications nationwide, as is the modus operandi of many authoritarian governments in this part of the world.

The amount of reporting across all available open sources has decreased significantly over the last 24 hours as a result of the crashing of cellular phone grids and internet networks across Turkmenistan, but activity along the Uzbek-Turkmen border meanwhile has changed drastically. Turkmen Border Guards regiments posted in Dashoguz & Turkmenbat have all but abandoned their elevated restrictive postures set by the Turkmen government, which many analysts argue was a deliberate measure implemented to deter attempts to leave the country.

UN soldiers, donning their telltale blue headgear and helmets, have been spotted establishing what appear to be staging areas on the Uzbekistan side of the Turkmen-Uzbek border checkpoints in preparation for imminent crossing in force into Turkmenistan. The United Nations Operation in Turkmenistan (UNOTURM) is aimed at ensuring stability, peacekeeping, and most critically- humanitarian efforts within the country of Turkmenistan as a result of internal strife experienced over the last several weeks, which has seen hundreds, if not thousands, killed as a result of crackdowns by the Murtazayev regime, and many more across the country disproportionately affected by the withholding of critical food supplies- a quietly excluded result of declared state of martial law at the end of May.

There is still no official word from the Turkmenistan government regarding the recent ignition of hostilities, where rumours have begun to surface regarding a possible regime change in the capital of Ashgabat. Since the night of July 2nd, several reports from sources and refugees who escaped to the Uzbek border have indicated that the apparent insurrection, which originated in the capital, has manifested itself into a full-blown military revolution, with similar acts of the Turkmen military engaging other elements of Turkmen troops, police forces, or even civilians in one reported case. 




Image courtesy of Telegram
(A picture taken on the evening of the 4th details one of many reported checkpoints established throughout the interconnecting roadways across Turkmenistan. While the checkpoints themselves are not uncommon, Turkmen troops present at many of these checkpoints, particularly in the regions of Ashgabat, Ahal, and Mary have been spotted as early as the beginning of the month to be donning green camouflage fatigues, in contrast to the traditionally seen Desert Battle Dress Uniform (BDU) pattern, which saw use by many Western militaries throughout the late '80s and into the '90s, pictured below for comparison.)


(via Turkmenistan National News)
(Photo captions read left quote: Keepers of Peace, right quote: Turkmenistan National News, with TNN watermark/logo)

It remains unknown if the armed individuals in the first image are in fact Turkmen soldiers, a rebel movement that coincides with the explosion in violence across the country, or an entirely separate group. Previous sources who have made contact with The International Report indicated that some soldiers and security forces, including some police officials and even armed civilians, have donned a black cloth or similar marking around their arm, likely as some form of identification amidst the ensuing fighting between sides- sides it seems only those fighting seem to be able to differentiate between. Whatever the case, it is clear there is still little information alluding to what exactly is transpiring within the borders of Turkmenistan.


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Reviewed By: 1LT Jason Mallory, WO1 Juan Reynoso, SGT Neil White

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