“I warned him” — Japarov comments on Tashiyev’s dismissal from the State Committee for National Security

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov said he personally called Kamchybek Tashiyev before dismissing him from the post of head of the State Committee for National Security. Japarov shared this in an interview with the Kabar news agency.

“Before making the decision, I called my friend and explained the situation, told him I was dismissing him, and only then made the decision. With this swift move, I believe I actually protected my friend. People around him — whether we call them ‘aksakals’ or otherwise — were leading him in the wrong direction.

They began using Kamchybek Tashiyev’s name as a cover and started appealing to members of parliament, senior civil servants, and well-known public figures, urging them to ‘join the General,’” Japarov said.

He emphasized that if Tashiyev had not been dismissed, such statements could have increased due to the actions of those working in that direction. According to Japarov, this could have led to division and confrontation among state officials and within society. For this reason, he said he was forced to make the decision to remove his friend from office.

“Stability in the state is above everything for me,” he said.

It should be recalled that one day after his dismissal, Tashiyev stated that he learned about the president’s decision while undergoing a scheduled medical check-up in Germany following heart surgery. He also complained that he had not been given the opportunity to say goodbye to personnel.

Tashiyev’s resignation

On February 10, Kamchybek Tashiyev, head of Kyrgyzstan’s State Committee for National Security and Deputy Prime Minister, was dismissed by presidential decree. He said his decision was motivated by a desire to prevent division in society.

Following his departure, First Deputy Chairman Kurbonbek Avazov, Cybersecurity Center Director Daniyar Risaliyev, and Anti-Terrorism Center Director Elizar Smanov were also dismissed. Abdukarim Alimboyev was removed from the post of first deputy head of the State Committee for National Security and appointed chairman of the State Border Service. He was replaced by Rustam Mamasadykov, who had served as Secretary of the Security Council.

Jumgalbek Shabdanbekov, who had headed the committee’s 9th service and served as deputy chairman since 2020, was appointed acting head of the State Committee for National Security.

On the same day, the Border Service was separated from the structure of the State Committee.

The Japarov–Tashiyev tandem

Kamchybek Tashiyev was appointed head of the State Committee for National Security on October 16, 2020. The decree was signed by Sadyr Japarov while serving as acting president after the events of October 5–6, 2020.

The long-standing relationship between Kamchybek Tashiyev and President Sadyr Japarov had been regarded as one of the most stable and influential political alliances in the country. Their cooperation began long before they came to power: in the early 2010s they were often on the same side of political developments and even went through a shared criminal episode in 2012, which further strengthened their personal ties.

After the events of October 2020, the tandem took its final shape: Sadyr Japarov became president, while Kamchybek Tashiyev was appointed head of the security services, becoming a key pillar of the power bloc. He oversaw high-profile cases, shaped security policy, and was widely seen as one of the president’s closest trusted allies.

Experts often described their alliance as the strongest political duo in the country, and any кадров changes around Tashiyev were viewed as a sign of major shifts in the power structure.

Recently, rumors had circulated in political circles that the security chief might take part in future presidential elections. Tashiyev repeatedly stated that he did not intend to run for president and would support Sadyr Japarov.