
Latest Articles about The Caucasus

Insurgents in Ingushetia Regroup as Local Jammats Become More Nationalist
Since the beginning of fall 2010 a tide of kidnappings of young people accused of participating in the armed underground has swept Ingushetia. On October 22, three young Ingush were arrested in three different places of this troubled republic in Russia’s North Caucasus region. On... MORE

Kidnappings Abound in Ingushetia and Transcend its Borders
On October 18, hundreds of people blocked a federal highway near Magas, the capital of Ingushetia. The protestors demanded that the government put an end to abductions in the republic. Dzhamaleil Gagiev’s disappearance from the village of Ali-Yurt in Ingushetia on October 14, and the... MORE

The Civil Society Factor Becoming Important in Azerbaijan’s Upcoming Elections
Azerbaijan’s perceived willingness to hold the next parliamentary elections in an open, transparent and democratic atmosphere has attracted an unprecedented level of international attention for this rapidly evolving, young democracy with one of the fastest growing economies in the world.Paradoxically, more than 25,000 observers are... MORE

Moscow’s Behavior in the North Caucasus Increasingly Reminiscent of its Imperial Past
On October 26, the Russian president’s envoy to the North Caucasus Federal District, Aleksandr Khloponin, held his first live TV press conference. Khloponin expressly blamed instability in the region on the security services of Western countries, stating that the situation in the North Caucasus was... MORE

Is the Main Source of Chechen Rebel Weapons Georgia, or the Russian Army?
Bomb disposal experts in the Chechen capital destroyed a large improvised explosive device in a controlled explosion today (October 29). Police discovered the bomb in the village of Katayama in Grozny’s Staropromyslovsky district based off of information provided by a detained rebel accomplice. The device... MORE

White House-Connected Think Tank Reframes U.S. Policy Toward Georgia (Part Two)
On the humanitarian situation, CAP’s study (Center for American Progress,“A New Approach to the Russia-Georgia Conflict,” October 2010, www.americanprogress.org) recommends US support for easing the movement of people and goods across demarcation lines between the secessionist territories and the rest of Georgia. “Ideally,” this would... MORE

Attack on Parliament in Grozny: Gain or Loss for the Rebels?
The attack perpetrated by four Chechen suicide bombers or shahids in downtown Grozny on October 19th, 2010 struck everyone by surprise. An explosion occurred early in the morning around 8:45 in the fenced yard of the Chechen parliament building killing two police officers on duty... MORE

White House-Connected Think Tank Reframes U.S. Policy Toward Georgia (Part One)
Former US administrations of both parties formulated their policies toward Georgia in a context of European and Euro-Atlantic interests. Viewing Georgia (along with Azerbaijan) as a strategic asset for energy transit to Europe and for Allied outreach to Asia, those US administrations led the way... MORE

The Religious Factor in Azerbaijani Parliamentary Elections
As Azerbaijan prepares for its next parliamentary elections, scheduled for November 7, many local and international observers are noting the growing role of religion in single-mandate races. A total of 1,412 persons have attempted to register to compete for 125 seats in the highest legislative... MORE

Moscow Forced to Give More Consideration to Circassian Demands
A massive and bizarre counter-terrorist operation is underway in the mountains of Kabardino-Balkaria. On October 20, fighting between government forces and a group of armed insurgents broke out in the mining town of Tyrnyauz. A policeman and three rebels were killed in the clash, according... MORE