Daesh (IS) and Criminal Syndicates after the Gold of Central Asia

May 10, 2016 | Douglas Green
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Recent reports from various sides concerning the increasing lack of cash flow for Daesh (IS) in the Near East due to difficulties in its Turkish oil smuggling chain add a new dimension to the already existing threat of extremist forces’ concentration in Afghanistan bordering the southern republics of Central Asia. Ever increasing assessments of the area’s world-class gold mining reserves must have drawn the attention of gang leaders of Taliban, Al-Qaeda and Daesh looking for alternative baits and a motive behind their “spring offensive” in Afghanistan and beyond.

The danger zone includes two “gold powers” in the area, both of which share a border with Afghanistan and are under direct threats of incursions from either individual or combined terror groups: Tajikistan and (most of all) Uzbekistan. This in turn once more reveals the true face of the Taliban, Daesh and their likes. Their bait in Central Asia: gold – easy to melt and then to smuggle to the market where its origin cannot possibly be traced back.