Unrest in Central Asia - fall 2016 edition

[steven]

More and more sources claiming Karimov, Uzbek president, is dead. With the bomb blast in Bishkek, everyone is on high alert for Independence Day in Bishkek as well. Tajikistan celebrates on September 9th.

If you have questions (or even better, answers) on how all this affects travel in Central Asia, deposit them here, please. For now, no border closures (other than the ones we already know about), visa refusals, ... are reported.

[bwv812]

Decent background from the nytimes for those interested:
http://nyti.ms/2bU1f1N

Also, there was an explosion at the Chinese embassy in Bishkek earlier today.
Blast in Chinese Embassy in Kyrgyzstan: at Least One Dead

http://sputniknews.com/europe/20160830/ ... bassy.html

[Boocat89]

I am going to try to cross into Osh tomorrow, travelling from Tashkent. If anyone thinks I am crazy to try this and should instead wait for a few days, please let me know! Otherwise I will report back on what happens.

[steven]

You should be fine Boocat. Just looking at the coming weeks/months rather than the coming days.

[uzbekbound]

Can anyone currently in Uzbekistan share what the mood is like there? Yesterday the New York Times reported that everything was business as usual in Tashkent - with the exception of the military perimeter around the hospital.

[Rolof Stolk]

Im in Tashkent now, business as usual, only every 500 meters there are police checking cars. In general there is much more police on the streets. I think getting into Tashkent with car from other cities can be difficult maybe. Tomorrow I am leaving to Shymkent, Kazakhstan, will let you know how it went.

[Munas]

Hy!

Planning to go in 3 days from Osh to Batken and enter Tajikistan with my own car. Someone knows if the border is open for foreigners?
According to the Austrian consulate in Bishkek borders between Kyrgyzstan / Tajikistan are closed until September 10th.

Thanks for some infos!
Thomas

[uzbekbound]

Can anyone provide updates on the scene in Uzbekistan given recent events?

[Gas1883]

Hy!

Planning to go in 3 days from Osh to Batken and enter Tajikistan with my own car. Someone knows if the border is open for foreigners?
According to the Austrian consulate in Bishkek borders between Kyrgyzstan / Tajikistan are closed until September 10th.

Thanks for some infos!
Thomas

I came the other way a few days ago. Khujand to Isfara to Batken to Osh. Totally open . Only problem was a Tajik guy got pulled from our shared taxi leaving Tajikistan never to be seen again. This was on public/shared transport.

[Gas1883]

Can anyone provide updates on the scene in Uzbekistan given recent events?

Have a visa for Uzbek starting soon so would also love get updates from anyone in Uzbek right now.

Am concerned about the situation and what could happen in the coming days, weeks, month. Due to go on September 10th.