Islamic Movement of Central Asia
Encyclopedia
The Islamic Movement of Central Asia (IMCA) is an Islamist organization affiliated with Al Qaeda, headed by Tohir Yo‘ldosh
, that has operated in Central Asia
since its formation on 16 September 2002. Its objective is to create a pan-Central Asia
n Islamist theocracy
.
IMCA members include Kyrgyz
, Tajik
, Uzbek
, Chechen
, and Uyghur
militants.
Kyrgyz Defense Minister Esen Topoyev said there were several hundred Islamic militants and terrorist bases in Badakhshan Province
, Afghanistan
, and 1,500 terrorists in Paktia Province
, as recently as September 2002.
Yo‘ldosh is also the leader of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan
, the Uzbek division of the IMCA. The IMCA plans to first establish a theocracy in Uzbekistan
, before spilling into Kyrgyzstan
and Tajikistan
. The group then plans to cover the rest of the region, including Xinjiang
.
Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada
has linked the IMCA to al-Qaeda
.
Tohir Yo‘ldosh
Tohir Yo‘ldosh, born Tohir Abduhalilovich Yo‘ldoshev , cofounded the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan , an Islamist organization active in Central Asia, with Juma Namangani in December 1991...
, that has operated in Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
since its formation on 16 September 2002. Its objective is to create a pan-Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
n Islamist theocracy
Theocracy
Theocracy is a form of organization in which the official policy is to be governed by immediate divine guidance or by officials who are regarded as divinely guided, or simply pursuant to the doctrine of a particular religious sect or religion....
.
IMCA members include Kyrgyz
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan , officially the Kyrgyz Republic is one of the world's six independent Turkic states . Located in Central Asia, landlocked and mountainous, Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the southwest and China to the east...
, Tajik
Tajikistan
Tajikistan , officially the Republic of Tajikistan , is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. Afghanistan borders it to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east....
, Uzbek
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
, Chechen
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...
, and Uyghur
Uyghur people
The Uyghur are a Turkic ethnic group living in Eastern and Central Asia. Today, Uyghurs live primarily in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China...
militants.
Kyrgyz Defense Minister Esen Topoyev said there were several hundred Islamic militants and terrorist bases in Badakhshan Province
Badakhshan Province
Badakhshan is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, consisting of 28 districts. It is located in the north-east of the country, between the Hindu Kush and the Amu Darya. It is part of the Badakhshan region.-Geography:...
, Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, and 1,500 terrorists in Paktia Province
Paktia Province
Paktia , is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan, in the east of the country. Its capital is Gardez. The population is predominantly Pashtun.- History:...
, as recently as September 2002.
Yo‘ldosh is also the leader of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan
Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan
The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan is a militant Islamist group formed in 1991 by the Islamic ideologue Tahir Yuldashev, and former Soviet paratrooper Juma Namangani—both ethnic Uzbeks from the Fergana Valley...
, the Uzbek division of the IMCA. The IMCA plans to first establish a theocracy in Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
, before spilling into Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan , officially the Kyrgyz Republic is one of the world's six independent Turkic states . Located in Central Asia, landlocked and mountainous, Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the southwest and China to the east...
and Tajikistan
Tajikistan
Tajikistan , officially the Republic of Tajikistan , is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. Afghanistan borders it to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east....
. The group then plans to cover the rest of the region, including Xinjiang
Xinjiang
Xinjiang is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. It is the largest Chinese administrative division and spans over 1.6 million km2...
.
Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada
Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada
Public Safety Canada , formerly known as Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada , legally incorporated as the federal Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, is the department of the government of Canada with responsibility for protecting Canadians and helping to maintain a...
has linked the IMCA to al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
.
See also
- Terrorism in Kazakhstan
- Islamic Movement of TajikistanIslamic Movement of TajikistanThe Islamic Movement of Tajikistan is the branch of the Islamic Movement of Central Asia, a militant Islamist organization, that operates in Tajikistan...
- Islamic Movement of UzbekistanIslamic Movement of UzbekistanThe Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan is a militant Islamist group formed in 1991 by the Islamic ideologue Tahir Yuldashev, and former Soviet paratrooper Juma Namangani—both ethnic Uzbeks from the Fergana Valley...