STRATEGIES FOR COUNTERING TERRORISM AND EXTREMISM IN CENTRAL ASIA

Terrorism and violent extremism are usually the top national security risks amongst the five Central Asian states. Although each state has its own approach to countering violent extremism and terrorism, they tend to broadly agree on the nature of the threat. Their definitions of “terrorism” and “extremism” are relatively broad in both legal definition and in practice, and they are often geared towards protecting the political and social status quo. A key challenge is that both religion and religiously-inclined, usually Islamic, groups have become blanket tools of blame to cover a range of actions and the perceived threat of actions deemed “terrorist” and “extremist”.This article looks at how “terrorism” is defined by the five Central Asian States and in what ways those descriptions are simplistic or problematic. It examines the drivers of radicalisation in the region, as well as the strategies used to prevent radicalisation and counter terrorism. The article argues that overall a more nuanced approach to understanding the context of radicalisation and violent extremism is key.