EURASIANET PHOTOJOURNALIST DIGEST

Russian Troop Withdrawal

In this new photo commentary, photojournalist Temo Bardzimashvili covers the Oct. 8 withdrawal of Russian troops and armor from the Georgian village of Karaleti across the border back to South Ossetia. Monitored by OSCE and EU representatives, about a dozen Russian armored vehicles and trucks filled with troops evacuate a checkpoint in Georgia proper for a short drive back to the breakaway region.

Watch

Kazakhstan: Rakhatgate Scandal Continues to Haunt Astana
BY JOANNA LILLIS
When Kazakhstan’s president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, moved to destroy the political ambitions of his then son-in-law, he aimed to promote stability by bringing an end to political clan infighting and snuff out speculation about presidential succession. However, a year and a half later, the Rakhat Aliyev case refuses to go away, and political maneuvering remains rife in Astana.

Islam Not an Issue in Azerbaijan’s Presidential Campaign
BY MINA MURADOVA
Azerbaijan’s active Islamic community may have grown since Soviet times, but most presidential candidates in the upcoming October 15 elections are still sidestepping Muslim believers as a target group of voters.

Pursuit Of Elusive Peace Could Drive Afghan Government, Taliban To The Table
BY ABUBAKAR SIDDIQUE AND RON SYNOVITZ
The brother of Afghan President Hamid Karzai has returned from a visit to Saudi Arabia in which he met with Taliban leaders in a gathering brokered by King Abdullah.
A EurasiaNet Partner Post from RFE/RL

With Russians Gone, Georgians Start to Rebuild
BY MOLLY CORSO
Georgian villagers are slowly returning home in the wake of the Russian army’s withdrawal from checkpoints in the so-called "buffer zone" outside breakaway South Ossetia. While most are happy to be back, the hard reality of rebuilding their lives in time for winter is daunting.

Diplomat Says US Not Aiming For 'Military Victory' In Afghanistan
The chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff warned this week that an already troubling situation in Afghanistan is almost certain to worsen. Admiral Mike Mullen said that "the trends across the board are not going in the right direction" and the country is likely to continue what a new intelligence report calls "a downward spiral."
A EurasiaNet Partner Post from RFE/RL