Syrian militants seek sign of Russian secret services' involvement in killing of "Imarat Kavkaz" leader

Syrian militants suspect that the leader of the "Imarat Kavkaz" (Caucasus Emirate), a terrorist organization banned in Russia by the court, was killed by a person who might cooperate with the Russian secret services. The murdered "Imarat Kavkaz" leader had little influence on militants in Russia, Islamic experts believe.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in 2007, the creation of the "Imarat Kavkaz" (Caucasus Emirate) was announced by Dokku Umarov, the president of the unrecognized Chechen Republic of Ichkeria. After swearing allegiance to the leader of the "Islamic State" (IS, a terrorist organization, banned in Russia by the court, – note of the "Caucasian Knot") in 2015, the militants from the "Imarat Kavkaz" repeatedly claimed responsibility for attacks on policemen and terror acts in the region.

Abdullah Tsumadinsky was killed on May 16, and natives of Northern Caucasus are suspected of his murder, reports Joanna Paraschuk, an analyst for the "IHS Janes" British Centre.

The leader of the "Imarat Kavkaz" in Syria might be killed by militants supporting the "Islamic State"(IS, a terrorist organization banned in Russia by the court), Vera Mironova, an expert engaged in researching terrorist organizations, reported with references to sources in the Middle East. The expert also noted that Abdullah Tsumadinsky enjoyed authority among Caucasian militants in Syria.

Channels of North-Caucasian militants in Syria report about the detention of a native of Dagestan, known as Abu Dudjanna Dagestani, and his accomplice Abu Sumaya Dagestani.

The killing of the "Imarat Kavkaz" leader does not indicate the intense activities of the grouping in Dagestan and in Northern Caucasus as a whole, Caucasus expert Mikhail Roschin believes.

The killing might be the result of the struggle between rival militant groupings in the region, suggests Alexei Malashenko, a member of the Expert Council of the Carnegie Moscow Centre. The expert also added that the killed "Imarat Kavkaz" leader was not of great interest to the Russian secret services because of his insignificant role.

Since 2015, there are no significant groupings of militants from the "Imarat Kavkaz" in Northern Caucasus, Caucasian expert Akhmet Yarlykapov believes.