President Berdymukhammedov 1 Oct fired Interior Minister Isgender Mulikov, who had been accused of corruption and abuse of power.

Reports emerged that Turkmen border patrols in Lebap province along country’s border with Afghanistan were regularly being bombarded from Afghanistan’s Jowzjan province, where Afghan troops are fighting Taliban (see Afghanistan).

President Berdymukhamedov 12 Aug made speech at Caspian Economic Forum; his first public appearance since 5 July dispelled rumours that he had died.

After rumours emerged of President Berdymukhamedov’s death late July, govt denied his death and 24 July reported that he had spoken with his Uzbek counterpart on occasion of latter’s birthday. Soon after, state television showed new clips of Berdymukhamedov, although date of their filming was not provided.

Russian state-owned energy company Gazprom 15 April said it had resumed imports of natural gas from Turkmenistan following three-year gap.

Along with Azerbaijan, Georgia and Romania, govt 4 March established new trade route to Romania, Black Sea-Caspian Sea International Transport Corridor. Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders March urged Turkmenistan to stop harassment of journalists following arrest of journalist Soltan Achilova 11 March. Amid signs of increasing economic difficulties, reports emerged late Feb that authorities were restricting internal travel from regions to capital Ashgabat.

Meeting in Ashgabat, President Berdymukhamedov and Afghan President Ghani 21 Feb signed strategic partnership; Berdymukhamedov reportedly offered to help bring Taliban negotiators and Afghan officials together for peace talks. Opposition news website 8 Feb alleged that govt figures on 2018 cotton and wheat harvests were highly inflated, with real figures less than half those reported.

President Berdymukhammedov 2 Jan appointed son Serdar deputy governor of south-central region of Ahal. Defence ministry source 14 Jan told media conscriptions commissions were instructed to register males younger than 50, reportedly linked to tense situation along border with Afghanistan. Human Rights Watch annual report 17 Jan noted negative trends in human rights in Turkmenistan in 2018 with more repressive policies.

Reports continued of bread shortages and growing concern among population over end of free natural gas, water and electricity starting in Jan 2019, declared by President Berdymukhammedov in Sept.

Amid ongoing reports of economic crisis and food shortages, Russia’s Gazprom announced it would resume purchasing natural gas from Turkmenistan in Jan 2019 after three year gap.