Kyrgyzstan Detains Ally of Former Security Chief as Power Shake-up Deepens

Police in Kyrgyzstan have detained a close associate of former senior security official Eldar Zhakypbekov, in a move that further intensifies a sweeping overhaul within the country’s powerful security and political establishment.

Officers from the Interior Ministry’s Main Criminal Investigation Department detained an investigator from the Chui regional branch of the State Committee for National Security, The Caspian Post reported, citing Kyrgyz media.

The detainee, reportedly known by the nickname “Vaseline,” has been identified as Ulan and is considered a close associate of Zhakypbekov. Authorities have not disclosed the specific charges or suspicions linked to the detention.

The development follows the arrest of Zhakypbekov himself on February 15. The former head of the State Committee for National Security’s Bishkek department was placed in a temporary detention facility, with the case now being handled by the military prosecutor’s office.

The arrests come amid major political shifts triggered earlier this month. On February 10, President Sadyr Japarov signed a decree dismissing Kamchybek Tashiev from his posts as deputy chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and head of the State Committee for National Security. According to the president’s press secretary, individuals close to Tashiev had contacted lawmakers urging support for the general and calling for new presidential elections.

Tashiev’s removal has been followed by a broad restructuring of Kyrgyzstan’s security apparatus. Several of his deputies were dismissed, the Border Service was separated from the State Committee for National Security, and a new State Protection Service was created under direct presidential control. Political repercussions extended further, with parliamentary speaker Nurlanbek Turgunbek uulu stepping down and Tashiev’s nephew, Nurgazy Matisakov, removed as head of the transport prosecutor’s office.

Most recently, Transport and Communications Minister Absattar Syrgabekov was also dismissed. Local media describe him as a close ally of Tashiev, underscoring the widening scope of the country’s ongoing political and security realignment.