October 31, 2003

The US government again warned US citizens to restrict travel to Kyrgyzstan because of growing presence of the IMU (Islamic Movement of  Uzbekistan). The IMU was a rapidly growing resistance movement until late 2001, when its bases and leadership were wiped out in Afghanistan. But the group has been rebuilding, greatly assisted by the continued bad government by the ex-communist bureaucrats who have seized power in Central Asia in the last decade.  Americans are particularly warned to stay away from the Kyrgyz-Tajik and Kyrgyz-Uzbek border areas, where the IMU is believed to be operating.