Ingush Jamaat
Encyclopedia
Ingush Jamaat, also known as the Ingush sector of the Caucasian Front, is an Islamist
militant organization connected to numerous attacks against the local and federal security forces in the Russia
n region of Ingushetia
and Chechnya
in the North Caucasus
. In 2005 it became a part of the Caucasian Front
of the Second Chechen War
and in 2007 it joined the Caucasus Emirate
. The Jamaat
is thought to be responsible for the deaths of hundreds of people, mostly policemen, military personnel and officials.
. The Ingush
are closely related to the Chechens
. Both peoples are part of the Vainakh tribes, speak Nakh languages
and share a common culture. Many of the Ingush lived in the Chechen capital of Grozny
during the outbreak of the war and fought along with the Chechen separatists
, but did not have enough time to create their own separate unit as they were scattered among various Chechen units under the commands of Ruslan Gelayev and Shamil Basayev
. These Ingush played a large role in the 1996 siege of Grozny
; it took Russian forces over 15 months to capture Bamut, a small border village, because help from Ingushetia arrived almost every day. Many think that it was thanks to the moderate Ruslan Aushev
, then president of Ingushetia who opposed Russia's military campaign, that the conflict did not spread to Ingushetia.
After the Second Chechen War broke out, many of the Ingush fighters that had still felt closely related to their destroyed home-city Grozny started rebuilding their military units in Ingushetia, still loyal to Aslan Maskhadov
and Basayev. The Ingush units reportedly took heavy losses during the retreat through the mine-fields of the Battle of Grozny (1999–2000)
and it took a lot of time to reform them; eventually in 2000-2001 the jamaat was reformed along territorial lines in Ingushetia proper, with many units tied to a single city or area. Following the changes in the organisation, all Ingush units started working under the unified Jamaat Shariat (not to be confused with Dagestan
's Shariat Jamaat
). In 2004 the Jamaat was renamed to Shariat Special Operations Group in accordance with the wishes of Maskhadov; later this changed to Ingush sector of the South-Western Front and finally, when Abdul-Halim Sadulayev created the Caucasian Front
, Sadulayev referred to it as the Ingush sector of the Caucasus Front. Despite its many name changes it is mostly referred to simply as the Ingush Jamaat.
The group played a key role in the 2004 Nazran raid
, an important event which helped to escalate the low-level Ingush insurgency since 2002 into the increasing unrest and eventually into a "civil war
", in which more than 800 people died in this tiny republic of less than 500,000 by November 2008. It also took part in the 2005 Nalchik raid, organized by the local Kabardino-Balkar
group Yarmuk Jamaat
. Following the death of Ilyas Gorchkhanov
in Nalchik
, the leader of the Ingush Jamaat was Akhmed Yevloyev until his capture in June 2010. Later in 2010, the Jamaat adopted more nationalist rhetoric, vowing to "temporarily" stop killing Ingush policemen and instead attack targets in North Ossetia and help to reclaim the native Ingush lands of Prigorodny District
. The group also reaffirmed its loyalty to Umarov following the rejection of his leadership by the Chechen rebels.
Islamism
Islamism also , lit., "Political Islam" is set of ideologies holding that Islam is not only a religion but also a political system. Islamism is a controversial term, and definitions of it sometimes vary...
militant organization connected to numerous attacks against the local and federal security forces in the Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n region of Ingushetia
Ingushetia
The Republic of Ingushetia is a federal subject of Russia , located in the North Caucasus region with its capital at Magas. In terms of area, the republic is the smallest of Russia's federal subjects except for the two federal cities, Moscow and Saint Petersburg...
and Chechnya
Chechnya
The Chechen Republic , commonly referred to as Chechnya , also spelled Chechnia or Chechenia, sometimes referred to as Ichkeria , is a federal subject of Russia . It is located in the southeastern part of Europe in the Northern Caucasus mountains. The capital of the republic is the city of Grozny...
in the North Caucasus
North Caucasus
The North Caucasus is the northern part of the Caucasus region between the Black and Caspian Seas and within European Russia. The term is also used as a synonym for the North Caucasus economic region of Russia....
. In 2005 it became a part of the Caucasian Front
Caucasian Front (Chechen War)
The Caucasian Front also called Caucasus Front or the Caucasian Mujahadeen, was formally established in May 2005 as an Islamic structural unit of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria's armed forces by the decree of the separatist President of Chechnya Abdul-Halim Sadulayev during the Second Chechen...
of the Second Chechen War
Second Chechen War
The Second Chechen War, in a later phase better known as the War in the North Caucasus, was launched by the Russian Federation starting 26 August 1999, in response to the Invasion of Dagestan by the Islamic International Peacekeeping Brigade ....
and in 2007 it joined the Caucasus Emirate
Caucasus Emirate
The Caucasus Emirate also known as the Caucasian Emirate is a self-proclaimed virtual state entity, partially successor to the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria and was officially announced on October 31, 2007 by former President of Ichkeria Dokka Umarov, who became the first Emir...
. The Jamaat
Jamaat
The term Jamaat can apply to the following:*Jamia - a gathering or congregatation; place of gathering.*Jamaat-e-Islami - a South Asian Islamic movement based in Pakistan, Bangladesh and India .*Jamaat-ul-Muslimeen - a Muslim organization in Indo-Pak.*Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind - an Islamic group in...
is thought to be responsible for the deaths of hundreds of people, mostly policemen, military personnel and officials.
History
The origins of the Ingush Jamaat can be found during the First Chechen WarFirst Chechen War
The First Chechen War, also known as the War in Chechnya, was a conflict between the Russian Federation and the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, fought from December 1994 to August 1996...
. The Ingush
Ingush people
The Ingush are a native ethnic group of the North Caucasus, mostly inhabiting the Russian republic of Ingushetia. They refer to themselves as Ghalghai . The Ingush are predominantly Sunni Muslims and speak the Ingush language...
are closely related to the Chechens
Chechen people
Chechens constitute the largest native ethnic group originating in the North Caucasus region. They refer to themselves as Noxçi . Also known as Sadiks , Gargareans, Malkhs...
. Both peoples are part of the Vainakh tribes, speak Nakh languages
Nakh languages
The Nakh languages are a small family of languages spoken chiefly by the Nakh peoples, in Russia , in Georgia, and in the Chechen diaspora ....
and share a common culture. Many of the Ingush lived in the Chechen capital of Grozny
Grozny
Grozny is the capital city of the Chechen Republic, Russia. The city lies on the Sunzha River. According to the preliminary results of the 2010 Census, the city had a population of 271,596; up from 210,720 recorded in the 2002 Census. but still only about two-thirds of 399,688 recorded in the 1989...
during the outbreak of the war and fought along with the Chechen separatists
Chechen Republic of Ichkeria
The Chechen Republic of Ichkeria is the unrecognized secessionist government of Chechnya. The republic was proclaimed in late 1991 by Dzokhar Dudayev, and fought two devastating wars between separatists and the Russian Federation which denounced secession...
, but did not have enough time to create their own separate unit as they were scattered among various Chechen units under the commands of Ruslan Gelayev and Shamil Basayev
Shamil Basayev
Shamil Salmanovich Basayev was a Chechen militant Islamist and a leader of the Chechen rebel movement.Starting as a field commander in the Transcaucasus, Basayev led guerrilla campaigns against the Russian troops for years, as well as launching mass-hostage takings of civilians, with his goal...
. These Ingush played a large role in the 1996 siege of Grozny
Battle of Grozny (August 1996)
In the August 1996 Battle of Grozny Chechen rebels conducted a rapid assault on the Chechnya capital Grozny. This led to the final ceasefire in the First Chechen War....
; it took Russian forces over 15 months to capture Bamut, a small border village, because help from Ingushetia arrived almost every day. Many think that it was thanks to the moderate Ruslan Aushev
Ruslan Aushev
Ruslan Sultanovich Aushev was the president of Ingushetia from March 1993 to December 2001. He was reportedly the youngest officer in the Soviet army to reach the rank of Lieutenant General. He received the Gold Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union on May 7, 1982...
, then president of Ingushetia who opposed Russia's military campaign, that the conflict did not spread to Ingushetia.
After the Second Chechen War broke out, many of the Ingush fighters that had still felt closely related to their destroyed home-city Grozny started rebuilding their military units in Ingushetia, still loyal to Aslan Maskhadov
Aslan Maskhadov
Aslan Aliyevich Maskhadov was a leader of the Chechen separatist movement and the third President of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria.He was credited by many with the Chechen victory in the First Chechen War, which allowed for the...
and Basayev. The Ingush units reportedly took heavy losses during the retreat through the mine-fields of the Battle of Grozny (1999–2000)
Battle of Grozny (1999–2000)
The 1999–2000 battle of Grozny was the siege and assault of the Chechen capital Grozny by Russian forces, lasting from late 1999 to early 2000. The siege and fighting left the capital devastated...
and it took a lot of time to reform them; eventually in 2000-2001 the jamaat was reformed along territorial lines in Ingushetia proper, with many units tied to a single city or area. Following the changes in the organisation, all Ingush units started working under the unified Jamaat Shariat (not to be confused with Dagestan
Dagestan
The Republic of Dagestan is a federal subject of Russia, located in the North Caucasus region. Its capital and the largest city is Makhachkala, located at the center of Dagestan on the Caspian Sea...
's Shariat Jamaat
Shariat Jamaat
Jamaat Shariat, officially the Islamic Jamaat of Dagestan "Shariat" and also known as Shari’ah Jamaat, is the largest Islamist militant organization in the Russian republic of Dagestan, North Caucasus...
). In 2004 the Jamaat was renamed to Shariat Special Operations Group in accordance with the wishes of Maskhadov; later this changed to Ingush sector of the South-Western Front and finally, when Abdul-Halim Sadulayev created the Caucasian Front
Caucasian Front (Chechen War)
The Caucasian Front also called Caucasus Front or the Caucasian Mujahadeen, was formally established in May 2005 as an Islamic structural unit of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria's armed forces by the decree of the separatist President of Chechnya Abdul-Halim Sadulayev during the Second Chechen...
, Sadulayev referred to it as the Ingush sector of the Caucasus Front. Despite its many name changes it is mostly referred to simply as the Ingush Jamaat.
The group played a key role in the 2004 Nazran raid
2004 Nazran raid
The Nazran raid was a large-scale raid carried out in the Republic of Ingushetia, Russia, on the night of June 21-22, 2004, by a large number of mostly Chechen and Ingush militants led by the Chechen commander Shamil Basayev...
, an important event which helped to escalate the low-level Ingush insurgency since 2002 into the increasing unrest and eventually into a "civil war
Civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
", in which more than 800 people died in this tiny republic of less than 500,000 by November 2008. It also took part in the 2005 Nalchik raid, organized by the local Kabardino-Balkar
Kabardino-Balkaria
The Kabardino-Balkar Republic , or Kabardino-Balkaria , is a federal subject of Russia located in the North Caucasus. Population: -Geography:The republic is situated in the North Caucasus mountains, with plains in the northern part....
group Yarmuk Jamaat
Yarmuk Jamaat
Yarmuk Jamaat is a militant Islamist jamaat organization connected to numerous attacks against the local and federal security forces in Russian republic of Kabardino-Balkaria in the North Caucasus...
. Following the death of Ilyas Gorchkhanov
Ilyas Gorchkhanov
Ilyas Gorchkhanov was the first leader of the Ingush Jamaat, which later became part of the Caucasus Front's Ingushetian Sector in Ingushetia of the Second Chechen War....
in Nalchik
Nalchik
Nalchik is the capital city of the Kabardino-Balkar Republic, Russia, situated at an altitude of in the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains; about northwest of Beslan in the Republic of North Ossetia–Alania. It covers an area of...
, the leader of the Ingush Jamaat was Akhmed Yevloyev until his capture in June 2010. Later in 2010, the Jamaat adopted more nationalist rhetoric, vowing to "temporarily" stop killing Ingush policemen and instead attack targets in North Ossetia and help to reclaim the native Ingush lands of Prigorodny District
Prigorodny District, Republic of North Ossetia-Alania
Prigorodny District is an administrative and municipal district , one of the eight in the Republic of North Ossetia–Alania, Russia. Its administrative center is the rural locality of Oktyabrskoye...
. The group also reaffirmed its loyalty to Umarov following the rejection of his leadership by the Chechen rebels.