Latest North Caucasus Weekly Articles
Convoy Ambushed in Vedeno
A serviceman was killed and another wounded in a battle with a group of approximately 20 militants on the outskirts of the settlement of Zhani-Vedeno on October 9. Itar-Tass reported on October 10 that two militants were also killed in the battle while the rest... MORE
Russification of the Ingush Police Continues
Despite Ingushetia’s relative calm, the Russian authorities have not stopped looking for new ways to fight the insurgency in the republic. The Kremlin understands that this calm is just a strategic break by the rebels and not a result of effective countermeasures by the law-enforcement... MORE
Kadyrov Turns 31
Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov turned 31 on October 5, and Newsru.com reported that day that Kadyrov had ordered that there be no “luxuriant” celebrations. Still, the website reported that “rites of sacrifice” would be held marking Kadyrov’s birthday, with religious figures calling on the Almighty... MORE
Militants Killed in Makhachkala Shootout
Two militants were killed during a joint operation carried out by the Dagestani branch of the Federal Security Service (FSB) and the republic’s Interior Ministry in Dagestan’s capital, Makhachkala, Kommersant reported on October 10. According to the newspaper, Dagestani security officials learned that two members... MORE
Two Policemen Murdered in Nazran
Two policemen were murdered on October 10 in a market in the center of Nazran, Ingushetia’s largest city. RIA Novosti, citing a source in the republic’s law-enforcement bodies, reported that a group of policemen were fired on with automatic weapons from a Mercedes after they... MORE
The Kremlin Intensifies Reprisals against Muslims in the North Caucasus
Repression against practicing Muslims has significantly intensified in the North Caucasus this year. Disappearances or kidnappings of devout young Muslims have become more frequent in such Caucasian regions as Dagestan, Ingushetia, and Kabardino-Balkaria. During an official conference in Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan, on June... MORE
Understanding the Roots of the Conflict in Ingushetia
Ingushetia today is quite clearly a republic at war. First of all, it has been declared a counter-terrorist operation zone - an ominous sign, given that both Chechen wars are still officially referred to as “counter-terrorist operations” by the Russian government. Secondly, additional divisions of... MORE
Chechen Parliamentary Speaker Declares “Counter-Terrorist Operation” Completed
Dukvakha Abdurakhmanov, speaker of the People’s Assembly, the lower house of Chechnya’s parliament, said on October 2 that the “counter-terrorism operation” in Chechnya has been completed and claimed that only several dozen militants are still active in the republic. “We may now conclude that the... MORE