Central Asia

The Territory of Central Asia (TCA) is an unincorporated territory of the Commonwealth of Gaia. It consists of the former nations of Afghanistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, which were occupied by the Calassians following their Invasion of Earth.

History
Central Asia was the site of stiff resistance to the Calassian invasion. The ideals of the invaders were anathema to powerful Islamist factions, especially the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Taliban, both of which enforced a patriarchal system.

Afghanistan
The United States withdrew its troops from Afghanistan in late 2020, which greatly destabilized the Republic, enabling the Taliban to take power in the spring offensive. In the first few months of their rule, the Taliban attempted to return Afghanistan to a male-dominated society, as it had been before the American intervention. The Calassians soon turned their sights on Afghanistan, however, and began a full-scale invasion to liberate the oppressed female populace. The conflict devolved into total war, as the Taliban were prepared to fight to the death, and the Calassians took extreme measures to quash their stubborn resistance, including the deployment of weapons of mass destruction. Eventually, the Taliban were obliterated, and what remained of Afghanistan became part of the Central Asian Occupation Zone.

Territory (2061-present)
The zone of Calassian occupation was reorganized into the modern Territory of Central Asia in 2061. Despite the official end of occupation, Calassian troops still maintain a small military presence in Central Asia, as a deterrent to future uprisings or insurgencies.

Culture
The wearing of beards is outlawed in the TCA, a law aimed at radical fundamentalists.