SGB Chairman warns about digital threats at SCO forum in Samarkand

On November 6, 2026, the first "SCO Plus" expert dialogue on security issues began in the city of Samarkand. The prestigious event was opened with introductory remarks by the Chairman of the State Security Service (SGB) of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Colonel-General Abdusalom Azizov.

In his speech, the SGB head drew special attention to the fact that international terrorist and extremist groups are currently making extremely active use of digital technologies to spread their destructive ideology, recruit followers, and finance and plan terrorist attacks.

More than 49,000 radical resources in one year: Numbers and trends

Colonel-General Abdusalom Azizov revealed the scale of the growing threat in the internet network with clear statistical evidence:

• A sharp 14 percent increase: "In 2026 alone, more than 49,000 internet resources of an extremist and terrorist nature were identified. This is a full 14 percent more than the figure for 2025 (nearly 43,000)," said the SGB chairman;

• Global threat trend: These figures show that the borderless virtual space has become the primary weapon for spreading radical and destructive ideas.

Global Terrorism Index: Uzbekistan among the safest countries

Within the framework of implementing the National Strategy for Countering Extremism and Terrorism for 2021–2026, the system of interagency and international cooperation in the country has been fundamentally improved:

• 96th place and minimal risk: The systematic work carried out is reflected in international assessments. Specifically, in the 2026 Global Terrorism Index, Uzbekistan ranked 96th, placing it in the "minimal risk" category globally;

• Result of the national approach: This international assessment serves as clear proof that the national strategy chosen by Uzbekistan for ensuring security and preventing radicalism is yielding high effectiveness.

Artificial intelligence and digital security: Demands of a new era

The SGB head outlined the most important tasks ahead for maintaining security in the era of modern transformation:

• Exposing new tactics: Timely identification and neutralization of new forms, methods, and covert mechanisms used by terrorists in the cyber environment;

• Preventing illegal use of artificial intelligence: Creating advanced barriers against the risk of using generative artificial intelligence technologies for terrorist and manipulative purposes;

• Coordinated operations: Within the framework of the "SCO Plus" dialogue in Samarkand, unified preventive measures aimed at eliminating existing security threats will be developed with the participation of all partner states.