The Crimean Wolf in the Steppes of Syria
The Crimean Wolf in the Steppes of Syria
Analysts have suspected the involvement of Crimean Tatars in the Syrian civil war since 2012. These suspicions were confirmed in 2013. Early that year, the website of North Caucasian jihadists listed Crimean Tatars among the nationalities of those who fought in Syria alongside Chechens (KavkazCenter.com, February 23, 2013). Shortly thereafter, news outlets also confirmed the deaths of Crimeans killed in the fighting in Aleppo (Segodnya [Kyiv], April 17, 2013). The apparent leader of these Crimeans fighting in Syria is Abdul-Karim Krymsky. In light of the Russian annexation of Crimea, it is possible that Abdul-Karim Krymsky and his Tatar jihadists, perhaps in combination with Chechens, could take their warfighting skills and use them against Russia in their homeland.
Syrian Involvement
It is difficult to identify how many Crimean Tatars are fighting in Syria and which groups they are fighting for. Some media outlets made unsubstantiated claims that up to 1,000 Crimean Tatars were fighting there (Komsomolskaya Pravda in Ukraine, September 6, 2013). Tatar leader Salman Bulgarsky said that several thousand Russian citizens are fighting in Syria, but he was referring to every Russian-speaking militant in the country, not just Crimean Tatars. [1] The Syrian government’s assessment that there are 350 militants from Ukraine should probably be divided by two or even three to make it closer to real figures (Interfax, October 27, 2013).
In May 2013, some information about the leader of the Crimean Tatars emerged when a video of the amir of the Crimean Tatars’ jama’at (religious fighting unit) in Syria, Abdul-Karim Krymsky was posted. [2] The video was recorded in a hospital since he had been seriously injured in recent combat. He addressed his audience with a call to jihad. This leaked video was the first evidence that he was in Syria.
In one of the latest addresses by Salahuddin al-Shishani, the Chechen amir of Jaysh al-Muhajireen wa’l-Ansar, he called Abdul-Karim Krymsky his naib (deputy). [3] The Crimean Tatars’ leader in Syria is second in rank in one of the largest units of foreign fighters in Syria. There are several jama’at-s made of other ethnic groups from Russia under Jaysh al-Muhajireen, but the Crimeans are held in high standing.
In his interview for the publication ShamNews, Abdul-Karim Krymsky accused the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS – now known as Islamic State) of crimes against the Syrian civilian population, including mass killings and torture (ShamNews TV, March 8). This is a challenge to the powerful group, who often fights against other jihadist groups in addition to the Assad government.
Crimea
According to news reports from before the Russian annexation, in Crimea, people had mixed attitudes toward those who fought in Syria (15minut.org, April 12). People were not encouraged to associate with terrorists, but at the same time Crimea was the only place in the entire post-Soviet space where thousands of demonstrators could openly express their support for those who fought against Bashar al-Assad (Vilayat Crimea, August 5, 2012). In Crimea’s mosques, imams preached sermons in favor of acting against Assad’s regime. [4] Ukrainian authorities did not approve of the Crimean Tatars’ participation in the Syrian conflict, but they also did not move against them in Crimea. The Crimean Tatars were content with this approach by Kiev and refrained from taking any steps that would break this precarious balance. The Russian annexation of Crimea, however, has changed this. The Crimean Tatars in Syria are hostages to the political situation back home. Syria is one of Russia’s strategic allies so Abdul-Karim Krymsky and other Tatars fighting against the Assad regime are now considered terrorists by Russia.
The majority of Crimean Tatars do not appear to support worldwide jihad. However, there are Crimean Tatars who have made friends among the groups that do. The relationship between Abdul-Karim Krymsky and the Chechen commanders of Jaysh al-Muhajireen wa’l-Ansar in Syria, who represent the Caucasus Emirate, indicates that radical North Caucasians and Crimean Tatars might join forces to fight Moscow as they have fought Damascus.
Conclusion
Abdul-Karim Krymsky’s impact on the behavior of Tatars in Crimea is unclear, but it appears that he is trying to prove that he has authority in Crimea as well as in Syria. He recently called on Crimean Muslims in a video to choose jihad and suggested that they should join him in Syria if they cannot do it in Crimea. He further called on his listeners not to trust international organizations and instead resolve their problems on their own. Even though there is no direct call to action against Moscow in his address, he extols the Caucasus Emirate, indicating his proximity to them and suggesting joint actions might follow. [5] The already close relationship between Crimean and Chechen commanders in Syria that represent the Caucasus Emirate indicates that under favorable conditions, the North Caucasians and the Crimean Tatars might join forces to fight Moscow. Thus, Abdul-Karim Krymsky has the potential to develop into a key player in possible hostilities between the Crimean Tatars and Russia.
Dr. Mairbek Vatchagaev is a noted Chechen historian and political analyst on the North Caucasus and a former senior ranking official in the Chechen government of Aslan Maskhadov.
Notes
1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ASlCws7wso.
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nyfZb569qM.
3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9JLkcd0-HA.
