North-Caucasian militants' swear to IS confirms experts' opinion on crisis in "Imarat Kavkaz"

The "Imarat Kavkaz" is in deep crisis, and it was unable to fight with the "Islamic State" for the influence in Northern Caucasus. This opinion has been expressed by experts, who commented on the information on the Caucasian militants' swear to the IS leader.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on June 21, an audio record was posted on YouTube to announce that militants of Vilayats of Dagestan, Nokhchicho (Ichkeria), Galgaiche (Ingushetia) and Kabarda, Balkaria and Karachay had sworn to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the "Islamic State", an organization recognized terrorist in a number of countries.

If the information about the militants' swear is true, it proves the existence of a deep crisis in the "Imarat Kavkaz", which is recognized a terrorist organization. This opinion has been expressed by Denis Sokolov, the Senior Research Officer at the Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. "Let me remind you that recently, a lot of the leaders have sworn to the IS. The 'Imarat Kavkaz' is experiencing a major systemic crisis, partly because of the outflow of militants to the IS. According to the estimates, in total, 5000-7000 people left for the Middle East," Denis Sokolov told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

According to Mikhail Roschin, the Senior Research Officer at the Centre for Central Asian, Caucasian and Volga-Urals Studies of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Science (RAS), the Caucasian militants' swear is connected with the fact that the "Imarat Kavkaz", recognized in Russia as a terrorist organization, has run its course, and the militants decided to swear allegiance to someone "considered a leader in the Islamic Jihad."

The expert does not rule out the possibility that the North-Caucasian militants, who have sworn to the "Islamic State" recognized terrorist, will then outflow back to Russia.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.