After Kazakhstan gained independence, societal changes created new conditions. Previously hidden pages of history from the Soviet era were opened, and research began to be conducted from an objective perspective. During the Soviet period, the process of forced deportation was systematically carried out, with many ethnic groups and entire peoples being relocated and resettled across the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan and its regions. This study focuses on the settlement of various ethnic groups in the South Kazakhstan region (now Turkistan region) as a result of forced deportations in the 1930s–1950s. Examining the formation of the country through the lens of regional specificity and the idea of national identity remains one of the pressing issues in contemporary historical research.
The article examines the history of ethnic groups forcibly deported to the territory of the South Kazakhstan region before and during World War II, the policies pursued by local authorities toward them, and the relations between the deported ethnic groups and the local population.
Methodology. In historical science, general historical research methods such as comparative analysis, historical chronological and theoretical approaches were used in the study of the events, relying on specific facts, evidence and scientific research. The use of an interdisciplinary approach made it possible to conduct a comprehensive study of the history of the peoples deported to the region, taking into account historical conditions from an objective perspective.