live Pentagon official says U.S. war in Iran has cost $25 billion so far - Wednesday, 29 April
A Pentagon official provided the first official estimate of the cost of the U.S. war in Iran on Wednesday (29 April), telling lawmakers that $25 bi...
Former head of the State Committee for National Security Kamchybek Tashiev has returned to Kyrgyzstan and is currently being questioned at the Interior Ministry’s main investigative department, according to local media reports.
President Sadyr Japarov, on 10 February, dismissed Tashiev from all official positions. The presidential press service stated that the decision was aimed at strengthening national unity and preventing divisions within society, including among state institutions.
This followed appeals to the president to hold early elections. According to Japarov’s spokesperson, individuals from Tashiev’s inner circle allegedly contacted members of parliament, urging them to support initiating new presidential elections
A state-affiliated investigative unit under Kyrgyzstan’s State Tax Service has published a report alleging systemic financial losses at the state-owned Kyrgyzneftegaz, outlining mechanisms through which public resources were redirected into private hands over five years.
The investigation, released by the government institution “Salyk Service” as part of its “Schemes” programme, claims that proceeds from state oil production were channelled to entities allegedly connected to relatives and close associates of Kamchybek Tashiev, the former head of the State Committee for National Security.
According to the findings, investigators identified three primary schemes that together point to a structured system of profit extraction operating alongside the official production chain.
While the report does not constitute a legal judgment, it situates the alleged schemes within a broader political context shaped by Tashiev’s influence during his time in office, when he was widely regarded as one of the most powerful figures in the country.
The first scheme centres on what investigators describe as artificially inflated production losses. Between 2021 and 2025, Kyrgyzneftegaz reportedly extracted around 879,000 tonnes of crude oil, of which nearly 29,000 tonnes were written off as production losses.
However, testimony from company specialists cited in the report suggests that actual losses should not exceed 1% of output, or roughly 9,000 tonnes. The discrepancy of about 20,000 tonnes, valued at approximately $6.3m, raises questions about unaccounted volumes of raw material that may have been diverted outside official records.
The second scheme highlights the use of intermediaries in oil processing. Investigators found that roughly 30% of total production, or 262,000 tonnes, was sold to private firms rather than being supplied directly to the state-owned refinery, Kyrgyz Petroleum Company.
Instead, crude oil was channelled through intermediary entities, which then resold it to a subsidiary of the refinery under their own names. This arrangement effectively embedded private actors within the state production chain, allowing them to capture a significant share of profits. As a result, the report estimates that the state company failed to receive more than $34m in potential revenue.
The third scheme concerns the distribution of refined products, particularly diesel and fuel oil, which are considered the most profitable outputs. According to the investigation, these products were selectively sold through a limited group of private companies, which then resold them to other buyers, including overseas traders.
In some cases, fuel oil reportedly returned to the same refinery, suggesting a circular flow of commodities that further obscured profit allocation. This selective distribution ensured that the most lucrative segments of the value chain remained in private hands.
The political dimension of the investigation is central to its significance. Tashiev, who until February headed the State Committee for National Security, was long regarded as a key figure in Kyrgyzstan’s power structure and was seen as governing alongside President Sadyr Japarov following their rise to prominence in 2020. His sudden removal from office marked a notable shift in the country’s political balance.
Since his departure, Tashiev is reported to have left the country and has not publicly commented on the allegations.
At the same time, several officials and lawmakers previously associated with him have stepped down or withdrawn from public life, including his younger brother, Shairbek Tashiev, who recently relinquished his parliamentary mandate.
President Donald Trump said on Sunday Iran could telephone if it wants to negotiate an end to their two-month war. Tehran said the U.S. should remove obstacles to a deal, including its blockade of Iran's ports. Meanwhile Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives in St Petersburg for talks.
Tensions between the United States and Iran remain high after a U.S. official said President Donald Trump was unhappy with a proposal from Tehran that does not deal with its nuclear programme. Washington is insisting that any talks must address Iran’s nuclear activities.
A Pentagon official provided the first official estimate of the cost of the U.S. war in Iran on Wednesday (29 April), telling lawmakers that $25 billion had so far been spent on the conflict, most of it on munitions. Earlier, Donald Trump said that the U.S. had "militarily defeated" Tehran.
The death toll from a train collision near Indonesia’s capital Jakarta rose to 14 women on Tuesday (28 April), with 84 people injured, after rescuers completed efforts to free passengers trapped in the wreckage, the state rail operator said.
Mexican special forces arrested Audias Flores, known as “El Jardinero”, a senior commander of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), during an operation in the western state of Nayarit, Security Minister Omar García Harfuch said on Monday (27 April).
Former security chief Kamchybek Tashiev has been questioned in connection with an alleged attempt to seize power by force, Kyrgyz lawyer Sherdor Abdykaparov said.
Afghan and Russian officials have discussed expanding political, economic and security cooperation during talks in Kabul, Afghan ministries said.
Kyrgyzstan is preparing a new national programme aimed at increasing employment, reducing poverty and improving the coordination of labour, social protection and migration policies through 2030.
The renewed discussions on reopening the Kars-Gyumri railway between Türkiye and Armenia have been described as “historic progress” and “a positive step” within a complex regional landscape.
Five people have been killed in Israeli air strikes on southern Lebanon, including three emergency responders who rushed to help victims of an earlier blast, according to Lebanese officials.
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