Chechen Republic of Ichkeria

Formed1991
Disbanded2007
First AttackDecember 12, 1994: The Battle of Dolinskoe was the first ground operation conducted by the armed forces of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria against the Russian Federation in Dolinskoe, Chechnya. (200 Killed, Unknown Wounded) [1]
Last AttackOctober 15, 2005: 200 mujahideen attacked several buildings associated with Russian security forces in Nalchik, Kabardino- Balkaria. (140 killed, 160 wounded) [2]
UpdatedFebruary 19, 2014

Narrative Summary

The Chechen Republic of Ichkeria was the secessionist and internationally unrecognized government of Chechnya. It was formed after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. [3].

In its initial stages, the Republic of Ichkeria focused on the independence of Chechnya from the Russian Federation. This remained its focus through the First Chechen War (1994-1996); however, the group adopted more violent tactics when it made no progress toward independence. [4]

During this period, the Republic of Ichkeria supported countless attacks by the Riyadus-Salikhin Reconnaissance and Sabotage Battalion of Chechen Martyrs, the Special Purpose Islamic Regiment (SPIR) and the Islamic International Peacekeeping Brigade (IIPB). In 2003, SPIR and IIPB were integrated into the armed forces of the Republic of Ichkeria. [5]

From 2004 to 2007, the Republic of Ichkeria became associated with terrorist organizations across the North Caucasus: the jamaats (assemblies) – Shariat Jamaat, Yarmuk Jamaat, Ingush Jamaat – and the Liberation Army of Dagestan. They also formed the Congress of Peoples of Dagestan and Ichkeria, a joint organizational front whose co-leaders were Chechen rebel Shamil Basayev and Movladi Udugov, Deputy PM of the Republic of Ichkeria. [6] These groups had the shared goal of independence from the Russian Federation and living under Sharia. 


This set a precedent for the last President of the Republic of Ichkeria, Doku Umarov, to abolish the Republic and establish the Caucasus Emirate, the successor to the Republic of Ichkeria and an umbrella organization for all other Islamic and separatist movements in the North Caucasus. [7] The idea of forming the Caucasus Emirate is credited to Anzor "Seifullah" Astemirov, head of the Yarmuk Jamaat. The official purpose of the Caucasus Emirate was to combine forces to achieve a unified Islamic Emirate. 

The Chechen Republic of Ichkeria still exists, but as an underground organization. There is no verifiable information about the activities of the Republic.

Leadership

  1. Dzhokhar Dudayev (November 9, 1991 to April 21, 1996): First President of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria.[8]
  2. Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev (April 21, 1996 to February 12, 1997): Second President of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria[9]
  3. Aslan Maskhadov (February 12, 1997 to March 8, 2005): Third President of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria. [10]
  4. “Sheikh” Abdul Halim-Salomovich Sadulayev (March 8, 2005 to June 17, 2006): Fourth President of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria. Founder of Caucasus and Dagestan Front. Opposed violence against civilians and “successfully put a stop to such tactics during his brief reign”.[11]
  5. Doku Umarov (October 2007 to October 2007): Fifth President of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria. Creator of the Caucasus Emirate, which united all the North Caucasus jamaats under one umbrella organization. Field commander rather than ideologue. [12]
  6. Hussein Gakayev (October 2007 to October 2007): Minister of Internal Affairs in the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria. Later he became the Emir of Chechnya's Southwestern sector in Caucasus Emirate, the successor to the Republic of Ichkeria. Rescinded loyalty to Umarov in 2011 but reasserted loyalty after Abu Anas Muhannad's death.[13]

Ideology & Goals

The Chechen Republic of Ichkeria initially promoted a nationalist and secular ideology. However, during the First Chechen War its ideology became more religious (Sunni/Salafi) and radical as a result of external organizations, such as Al Qaeda, which pushed the government toward an Islamist and jihadi ideology. 

After adopting a radical ideology, the Republic of Ichkeria fully supported bombings and suicide attacks against the Russian Federation and other non-Muslims carried out by its own forces as well as affiliates throughout the North Caucasus. [14]

Resources

The Chechen Republic of Ichkeria received much of its funding from financiers on the Arabian Peninsula affiliated with Al Qaeda. [15]

External Influences

The Chechen Republic of Ichkeria,  Riyadus-Salikhin, the Special Purpose Islamic Regiment (SPIR) and the Islamic International Peacekeeping Brigade (IIPB) all had longstanding ties with the Taliban and Al Qaeda (AQ). These ties remained intact after the groups merged to form the Caucasus Emirate in 2007.


AQ and the Taliban developed a relationship with North Caucasus rebel movements through their liaison Ibn Al-Khattab, a Saudi Arabian mujahedin, and Chechen rebel Shamil Basayev. Khattab served as adviser and financier to Basayev, who trained with AQ in Afghanistan and recruited fellow Chechens and other North Caucasians to do the same. He later allowed AQ and the Taliban to operate training camps in the North Caucasus. [16]

Basayev and Khattab created Riyadus-Salikhin and IIPB, respectively, and played a major role in linking the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria to the other terrorist movements in the North Caucasus. They also provided armed support to the Republic and collaborated with the neighboring jamaats in several joint attacks and training camps.

Targets & Tactics

In its early years, the Republic of Ichkeria waged guerrilla warfare against the military of the Russian Federation; however, the group began to target civilians more often after it adopted an Islamist and jihadist ideology. The Republic executed suicide bombings with the help of Riyadus-Salikhin, the martyr battalion founded by Chechen Rebel Shamil Basayev. [17]

Political Activities

The Republic of Ichkeria was a secessionist government working closely with terrorist organizations based in Chechnya and throughout the North Caucasus, as well as Al Qaeda. 

Major Attacks

Many attacks during the First and Second Chechen Wars were linked to the Republic of Ichkeria, including the Buddyonovsk hospital, Beslan school and Moscow theater hostage crises. However, groups like SPIR, IIPB and Riyadus-Salikhin usually claimed responsibility for these incidents. 

  1. January 1996: Kizlyar-Pervomayskoe,Dagestan: 250 Chechen separatists, led by Shamil Basayev and Salman Raduyev with the support of President Dudayev, held 3,000 people hostage in a hospital in Kizlyar and another 100 from Pervomayskoe. This incident is linked to the Budyonnovsk hostage crisis (June 1995). ((100 killed, unknown wounded)).[18]
  2. January 1996: In an event known as the Black Sea hostage crisis, Turkish rebels of Chechen heritage hijacked a ferry in a Turkish port and demanded a cease fire by Russian forces who were in Kizlyar-Pervomayskoe. The Turkish authorities, against the wishes of the Russians, negotiated with the hijackers and the hostages were recovered. ((Unknown killed, 13 wounded)).[19]

Relationships with Other Groups

The Republic of Ichkeria had close ties with terrorist movements across the North Caucasus: Yarmuk Jamaat, Shariat Jamaat, Ingush Jamaat, Liberation Army of Dagestan, Riyadus-Salikhin, the Special  Purpose Islamic Regiment (SPIR) and the Islamic International Peacekeeping Brigade (IIPB). 

IIPB, SPIR and Riyadus-Salikhin conducted major terrorist attacks like the Beslan school hostage crisis and the Moscow theatre hostage crisis in collaboration with the Republic of Ichkeria. The First Chechen War prompted the Republic to open communications with these groups through Shamil Basayev and, in 2003, the IIPB and SPIR became part of the armed forces of the Republic of Ichkeria. [20]

There is limited information on the Liberation Army of Dagestan and the jamaats; however, the Republic did collaborate with these groups to support small-scale attacks. 


References

  1. ^ Pratsyuk, Tara. "Scrambling for Cover as Gunfire Fills the Sky." The Guardian. N.p., 12 Dec. 1994. Web. June 2012. <http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/1994/dec/13/chechnya>.
  2. ^ "Russia: Nalchik Raid Leaves A Painful Legacy." RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty, 12 Oct. 2006. Web. May 2012. <http://www.rferl.org/content/article/1071996.html>.
  3. ^ "Chechnya '91-'97." Conflict Database. University of Southern California, n.d. Web. May 2012. <http://www.usc.edu/dept/LAS/ir/cews/database/Chechnya/chechnya.pdf>
  4. ^ "Russia | The World Almanac of Islamism." Russia | The World Almanac of Islamism. N.p., 14 July 2011. Web. Mar. 2012. <http://almanac.afpc.org/Russia>.}.

    The Republic of Ichkeria became associated with Al Qaeda when several of its leaders participated in Al Qaeda training camps in Afghanistan. These jihadists then returned to Chechnya and trained other Chechens. {{Aliyev, Huseyn. "CRIA Peace-Building from the Bottom: A Case Study of the North Caucasus." CRIA Peace-Building from the Bottom: A Case Study of the North Caucasus. Caucasian Review of International Affairs, 2010. Web. 02 Aug. 2012. <http://www.cria-online.org/13_2.html>.
  5. ^ Bhattacharji, Preeti. "Council on Foreign Relations." Council on Foreign Relations. Council on Foreign Relations, 08 Apr. 2010. Web. May 2012. <http://www.cfr.org/terrorism/chechen-terrorism-russia-chechnya-separatist/p9181>.
  6. ^ Bale, Jeffrey. "The Chechen Resistance and Radiological Terrorism | Articles | NTI Analysis | NTI." NTI: Nuclear Threat Initiative. NTI: Nuclear Threat Initiative, 1 Apr. 2004. Web. May 2012. <http://www.nti.org/analysis/articles/chechen-resistance-radiological-terror/>.
  7. ^ Kuchins, Andrew C., Matthew Malarkey, and Sergei Markedonov. "The North Caucasus: Russia's Volatile Frontier." Center for Strategic and International Studies. CSIS, Mar. 2011. Web. Feb. 2012. <http://csis.org/files/publication/110321_Kuchins_NorthCaucasus_WEB.pdf>.
  8. ^ Bale, Jeffrey. "The Chechen Resistance and Radiological Terrorism." NTI. N.p., 1 Apr. 2004. Web. <http://www.nti.org/analysis/articles/chechen-resistance-radiological-terror/>.
  9. ^ McGregor, Andrew. “The Assassination Of Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev: Implications For The War On Terrorism.” The Jamestown Foundation, 14 July 2004. Web. .
  10. ^ Patrushev, Nikolai. "Aslan Maskhadov Killed - Kommersant Moscow." Aslan Maskhadov Killed - Kommersant Moscow. N.p., 9 Mar. 2005. Web. <http://www.kommersant.com/page.asp?id=552963>.
  11. ^ Hahn, Gordan M. "Islam, Islamism, and Politics in Eurasia Report." Monterey Institute of International Studies. N.p., Report 7 18 Jan. 2010. Web. Jan. 2012. .
  12. ^ Kuchins, Andrew C. et al. "The North Caucasus: Russia's Volatile Frontier," March 2011, Center for Strategic and International Studies, http://csis.org/files/publication/110321_Kuchins_NorthCaucasus_WEB.pdf
  13. ^ Saradzhyan, Simon. ""Russia's North Caucasus, The Terrorism Revival"" Russia's North Caucasus, The Terrorism Revival. N.p., 23 Dec. 2010. Web..
  14. ^ Bale, Jeffrey. "The Chechen Resistance and Radiological Terrorism | Articles | NTI Analysis | NTI." NTI: Nuclear Threat Initiative. NTI: Nuclear Threat Initiative, 1 Apr. 2004. Web. May 2012. <http://www.nti.org/analysis/articles/chechen-resistance-radiological-terror/>.
  15. ^ Bhattacharji, Preeti. "Council on Foreign Relations." Council on Foreign Relations. Council on Foreign Relations, 08 Apr. 2010. Web. May 2012. <http://www.cfr.org/terrorism/chechen-terrorism-russia-chechnya-separatist/p9181>
  16. ^ Gartenstein-Ross, Daveed. "The American Spectator." The American Spectator. N.p., 14 July 2006. Web. Mar. 2012. <http://spectator.org/archives/2006/07/14/the-death-of-shamil-basayev>.
  17. ^ "Separtist Extremism in Russia." Institute for the Study of Violent Groups. Institute for the Study of Violent Groups, 2012. Web. June 2012. <http://vkb.isvg.org/Wiki/Separatist_Extremism_in_Russia>.
  18. ^ "Chechen Rebels' Hostage History." BBC News. BBC, 09 Jan. 2004. Web. .
  19. ^ Kinzer, Stephen. "Pro-Chechen Ferry Hijackers Surrender to Turks." The New York Times. The New York Times, 20 Jan. 1996. Web. .
  20. ^ Bhattacharji, Preeti. "Council on Foreign Relations." Council on Foreign Relations. Council on Foreign Relations, 08 Apr. 2010. Web. May 2012. <http://www.cfr.org/terrorism/chechen-terrorism-russia-chechnya-separatist/p9181>.

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