)
, image =

, founder = Fathi al-Urduni
, leaders = *
Ibn al-Khattab (1999–2002)
*
Abu al-Walid
Abu al-Walid (, full name : Abdulaziz bin Omar Al-Ghamidi transliterated also known as Abu al-Waleed and also called Abu al-Walid al-Ghamdi or simply Abu Walid; 1967 – 16 April 2004) was a Saudi Arabian of the Ghamd tribe who fought as a "muja ...
(2002–2004)
*
Abu Hafs al-Urduni
Abu Hafs al-Urduni ( ar, أبو حفص الأردني; 1973 – November 26, 2006), also transliterated as Abu Hafs al-Urdani, was a Mujahid Emir (commander) fighting in Chechnya. He was killed in Dagestan on November 26, 2006.
Biography Early ...
(2004–2006)
*
Muhannad (2006–2011)
*
Abdullah al-Kurdi (2011)
, name = Mujahideen in Chechnya
, caption =
Jihadist black flag
The jihadist flag is a flag commonly used by various Islamist and Islamic fundamentalist movements as a symbol of jihad. It usually consists of a black background with a white text of the '' shahada'' (Islamic creed) emblazoned across it in call ...
and Coat of Arms of the ChRI
, dates = 1995–2012
, allegiance =
Chechen Republic of Ichkeria
The Chechen Republic of Ichkeria (; ce, Нохчийн Республик Ичкери, Nóxçiyn Respublik Içkeri; russian: Чеченская Республика Ичкерия; abbreviated as "ChRI" or "CRI") was a ''de facto'' state tha ...
Caucasus Emirate
The Caucasus Emirate ( ce, Имарат Кавказ, Imarat Kavkaz, IK; russian: Кавказский эмират, Kavkazskiy emirat), also known as the Caucasian Emirate, Emirate of Caucasus, or Islamic Emirate of the Caucasus, was a Jihadist ...
since 2007
, motives = Chechen independence from Russia
, type =
Light Infantry
Light infantry refers to certain types of lightly equipped infantry throughout history. They have a more mobile or fluid function than other types of infantry, such as heavy infantry or line infantry. Historically, light infantry often fought ...
, size = Hundreds
, opponents =
, battles =
First Chechen WarWar of Dagestan
The Dagestan War (russian: Дагестанская война), also known as the Invasion of Militants in Dagestan (russian: Вторжение боевиков в Дагестан) began when the Chechnya-based Islamic International Peacekeep ...
Second Chechen War
The Second Chechen War (russian: Втора́я чече́нская война́, ) took place in Chechnya and the border regions of the North Caucasus between the Russian Federation and the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, from August 1999 ...
Insurgency in the North Caucasus
The insurgency in the North Caucasus (russian: Борьба с терроризмом на Северном Кавказе) was a low-level armed conflict between Russia and militants associated with the Caucasus Emirate and, from June 2015, ...
First Nagorno-Karabakh War
, notable_commanders = Fathi al-Shishani 1995–1997
Abdurrahman al-Zarki (Chechen from Jordan) 1997–2000
Garib Shishani
Abuzzar ash-Shishani (Gerat)
Ibn al-Khattab 2000–2002
Abu al-Walid
Abu al-Walid (, full name : Abdulaziz bin Omar Al-Ghamidi transliterated also known as Abu al-Waleed and also called Abu al-Walid al-Ghamdi or simply Abu Walid; 1967 – 16 April 2004) was a Saudi Arabian of the Ghamd tribe who fought as a "muja ...
2002–2004
Abu Hafs al-Urduni
Abu Hafs al-Urduni ( ar, أبو حفص الأردني; 1973 – November 26, 2006), also transliterated as Abu Hafs al-Urdani, was a Mujahid Emir (commander) fighting in Chechnya. He was killed in Dagestan on November 26, 2006.
Biography Early ...
2004–2006
Muhannad 2006–2011
Abdulla Kurd
Abdulla Kurd (sometimes Abdullah Kurd, and also known as Abdullah al-Kurdi or Salahuddin), (born Doger Sevdet; 1977–2011), was a Kurdish Islamist militant fighting in Chechnya. Kurd was the top deputy to Saudi-born field commander Muhannad. F ...
2011
Emirs
, ideology =
IslamismJihadism
Jihadism is a neologism which is used in reference to "militant Islamic movements that are perceived as existentially threatening to the West" and "rooted in political Islam."Compare: Appearing earlier in the Pakistani and Indian media, We ...
The Mujahideen in Chechnya (russian: моджахеды в Чечне, ''Muzhakhady v Chechnye'') ( ar, المجاهدون العرب في الشيشان) were foreign
Islamist Mujahideen volunteers that fought in
Chechnya and other parts of the
North Caucasus
The North Caucasus, ( ady, Темыр Къафкъас, Temır Qafqas; kbd, Ишхъэрэ Къаукъаз, İṩxhərə Qauqaz; ce, Къилбаседа Кавказ, Q̇ilbaseda Kavkaz; , os, Цӕгат Кавказ, Cægat Kavkaz, inh, ...
.
It was created by
Fathi al-Urduni in 1995 during the
First Chechen War, where it fought against the
Russian Federation
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia
North Asia or Northern Asia, also referred to as Siberia, is the northern region of Asia, which is defined in geographic ...
in favor of Chechnya's independence as the
Chechen Republic of Ichkeria
The Chechen Republic of Ichkeria (; ce, Нохчийн Республик Ичкери, Nóxçiyn Respublik Içkeri; russian: Чеченская Республика Ичкерия; abbreviated as "ChRI" or "CRI") was a ''de facto'' state tha ...
. During the
Second Chechen War
The Second Chechen War (russian: Втора́я чече́нская война́, ) took place in Chechnya and the border regions of the North Caucasus between the Russian Federation and the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, from August 1999 ...
it played an important part in further fighting.
Name
The unit has been known by several names throughout its existence. Examples include the Chechen Mujahideen, the Islamic Regiment, the Islamic Battalion, the Arabs in Chechnya and the Ansaar in Chechnya.
Although the overwhelming majority of the unit has always consisted of
Arab
The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Wester ...
volunteers, there were also members of non-Arab, usually
Kurds ug:كۇردلار
Kurds ( ku, کورد ,Kurd, italic=yes, rtl=yes) or Kurdish people are an Iranian peoples, Iranian ethnic group native to the mountainous region of Kurdistan in Western Asia, which spans southeastern Turkey, northwestern Ir ...
,
Turks
Turk or Turks may refer to:
Communities and ethnic groups
* Turkic peoples, a collection of ethnic groups who speak Turkic languages
* Turkish people, or the Turks, a Turkic ethnic group and nation
* Turkish citizen, a citizen of the Republic ...
and other North-Cacuasians. It is not to be confused with the
Special Purpose Islamic Regiment
The Special Purpose Islamic Regiment (russian: Исламский полк особого назначения; abbreviated SPIR), also known as the al-Jihad-Fi-Sabililah Special Islamic Regiment, was a Chechen organization loosely formed by Che ...
(SPIR),
al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda (; , ) is an Islamic extremism, Islamic extremist organization composed of Salafist jihadists. Its members are mostly composed of Arab, Arabs, but also include other peoples. Al-Qaeda has mounted attacks on civilian and military ta ...
’s 055 Brigade
The 055 Brigade (or 55th Arab Brigade) was a guerrilla organization sponsored and trained by Al Qaeda that was integrated into the Taliban army between 1995 and 2001.
Composition and role
The unit consisted mostly of foreign guerrilla fighters ...
or the
Islamic International Peacekeeping Brigade
The Islamic International Peacekeeping Brigade (russian: Исламская международная миротворческая бригада; abbreviated IIPB), also known as the Islamic International Brigade, the Islamic Peacekeeping Army, ...
(IIPB).
History
Foreign Mujahideen have played an important part in both
First
First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1).
First or 1st may also refer to:
*World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement
Arts and media Music
* 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...
and
Second Chechen War
The Second Chechen War (russian: Втора́я чече́нская война́, ) took place in Chechnya and the border regions of the North Caucasus between the Russian Federation and the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, from August 1999 ...
s. After the
collapse
Collapse or its variants may refer to:
Concepts
* Collapse (structural)
* Collapse (topology), a mathematical concept
* Collapsing manifold
* Collapse, the action of collapsing or telescoping objects
* Collapsing user interface elements
** A ...
of the
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
and the subsequent Chechen declaration of independence, foreign fighters started entering the region and associated themselves with Chechen rebels, most notably
Shamil Basayev
Shamil Salmanovich Basayev ( ce, Салман ВоӀ Шамиль ; russian: Шамиль Салманович Басаев; 14 January 1965 – 10 July 2006), also known by his kunya "Abu Idris", was a senior military commander in the Cheche ...
with whom
Ibn al-Khattab build up a friendship. Many of them were veterans of the
Soviet–Afghan War
The Soviet–Afghan War was a protracted armed conflict fought in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan from 1979 to 1989. It saw extensive fighting between the Soviet Union and the Afghan mujahideen (alongside smaller groups of anti-Soviet ...
and prior to the
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eigh ...
n invasion, they used their expertise to train Chechen fighters.
First Chechen War and Interwar period
During the
First Chechen War they were notorious and feared for their
guerilla tactics
Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare in which small groups of combatants, such as paramilitary personnel, armed civilians, or irregulars, use military tactics including ambushes, sabotage, raids, petty warfare, hit-and-run tacti ...
, inflicting severe casualties on Russian forces. The mujahideen also made a significant financial contribution to the Chechen cause; with their access to the immense wealth of
Salafist
The Salafi movement or Salafism () is a reform branch movement within Sunni Islam that originated during the nineteenth century. The name refers to advocacy of a return to the traditions of the "pious predecessors" (), the first three generat ...
charities like
al-Haramein
Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation (AHIF) was a charity foundation, based in Saudi Arabia. Under various names it had branches in Afghanistan, Albania, Bangladesh, Bosnia, Comoros, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan ...
, they soon became an invaluable source of funds for the Chechen resistance, which had little to none resources of its own.
After the withdrawal of Russian forces from Chechnya most of the mujahideen decided to remain in the country, including Khattab who married a woman from
Dagestan
Dagestan ( ; rus, Дагеста́н, , dəɡʲɪˈstan, links=yes), officially the Republic of Dagestan (russian: Респу́блика Дагеста́н, Respúblika Dagestán, links=no), is a republic of Russia situated in the North ...
. In 1999, foreign fighters played an important role in the
War of Dagestan
The Dagestan War (russian: Дагестанская война), also known as the Invasion of Militants in Dagestan (russian: Вторжение боевиков в Дагестан) began when the Chechnya-based Islamic International Peacekeep ...
. Shamil Basayev and Khattab had created the Islamic International Peacekeeping Brigade which was composed of Chechen fighters. The invasion was started in support of the
Islamic Djamaat of Dagestan
The Islamic Djamaat of Dagestan, known in Russia as the Kadar zone (russian: Кадарская зона), was an Islamist political entity in the Buynaksky District of Dagestan consisting of the fortified villages of Kadar, Karamakhi and Chab ...
separatist
Separatism is the advocacy of cultural, ethnic, tribal, religious, racial, governmental or gender separation from the larger group. As with secession, separatism conventionally refers to full political separation. Groups simply seeking greate ...
rebels
Rebels may refer to:
* Participants in a rebellion
* Rebel groups, people who refuse obedience or order
* Rebels (American Revolution), patriots who rejected British rule in 1776
Film and television
* ''Rebels'' (film) or ''Rebelles'', a 2019 F ...
. After the battle, they retreated back into Chechnya. The incursion provided the new Russian government with a pretext for intervention and in December 1999 Russian ground forces invaded Chechnya again.
Second Chechen War
During the ensuing
Second Chechen War
The Second Chechen War (russian: Втора́я чече́нская война́, ) took place in Chechnya and the border regions of the North Caucasus between the Russian Federation and the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, from August 1999 ...
, the Arab Mujahideen played another important part, both for delivering fighters and their financial contributions. It was during this time that the Russians succeeded in eliminating the most prominent mujahideen commanders
Ibn al-Khattab and
Abu al-Walid
Abu al-Walid (, full name : Abdulaziz bin Omar Al-Ghamidi transliterated also known as Abu al-Waleed and also called Abu al-Walid al-Ghamdi or simply Abu Walid; 1967 – 16 April 2004) was a Saudi Arabian of the Ghamd tribe who fought as a "muja ...
.
Commanders
As Foreign Volunteers Unit in the North Caucasus
* Fathi al-Shishani (1995–1997)
* Abdourahman al-Zarki (Shishani) (1997–1999)
As Mujahideen in Chechnya
*
Ibn al-Khattab (1999–2002)
*
Abu al-Walid
Abu al-Walid (, full name : Abdulaziz bin Omar Al-Ghamidi transliterated also known as Abu al-Waleed and also called Abu al-Walid al-Ghamdi or simply Abu Walid; 1967 – 16 April 2004) was a Saudi Arabian of the Ghamd tribe who fought as a "muja ...
(2002–2004)
*
Abu Hafs al-Urduni
Abu Hafs al-Urduni ( ar, أبو حفص الأردني; 1973 – November 26, 2006), also transliterated as Abu Hafs al-Urdani, was a Mujahid Emir (commander) fighting in Chechnya. He was killed in Dagestan on November 26, 2006.
Biography Early ...
(2004–2006)
*
Muhannad (2006–2011)
*
Abdulla Kurd
Abdulla Kurd (sometimes Abdullah Kurd, and also known as Abdullah al-Kurdi or Salahuddin), (born Doger Sevdet; 1977–2011), was a Kurdish Islamist militant fighting in Chechnya. Kurd was the top deputy to Saudi-born field commander Muhannad. F ...
(2011)
Structure
The battalion was mostly composed of
Arabs
The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...
, however, there were also
Caucasian
Caucasian may refer to:
Anthropology
*Anything from the Caucasus region
**
**
** ''Caucasian Exarchate'' (1917–1920), an ecclesiastical exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Caucasus region
*
*
*
Languages
* Northwest Caucasian l ...
and
Kurdish
Kurdish may refer to:
*Kurds or Kurdish people
*Kurdish languages
*Kurdish alphabets
*Kurdistan, the land of the Kurdish people which includes:
**Southern Kurdistan
**Eastern Kurdistan
**Northern Kurdistan
**Western Kurdistan
See also
* Kurd (dis ...
fighters in relatively small numbers. All known
Emir
Emir (; ar, أمير ' ), sometimes transliterated amir, amier, or ameer, is a word of Arabic origin that can refer to a male monarch, aristocrat, holder of high-ranking military or political office, or other person possessing actual or cer ...
s (leaders) are deceased. Its first Emir was
Ibn Al-Khattab (Saudi) who was killed in March 2002 and succeeded by
Abu al-Walid
Abu al-Walid (, full name : Abdulaziz bin Omar Al-Ghamidi transliterated also known as Abu al-Waleed and also called Abu al-Walid al-Ghamdi or simply Abu Walid; 1967 – 16 April 2004) was a Saudi Arabian of the Ghamd tribe who fought as a "muja ...
(Saudi), who was killed in April 2004. His successor became
Abu Hafs al-Urduni
Abu Hafs al-Urduni ( ar, أبو حفص الأردني; 1973 – November 26, 2006), also transliterated as Abu Hafs al-Urdani, was a Mujahid Emir (commander) fighting in Chechnya. He was killed in Dagestan on November 26, 2006.
Biography Early ...
(Jordanian) who was killed in November 2006. He was succeeded by
Muhannad (Saudi), who was killed in a clash with security forces in the Chechen village of Serzhen-Yurt on 21 April 2011.
Several weeks later, his successor
Abdulla Kurd
Abdulla Kurd (sometimes Abdullah Kurd, and also known as Abdullah al-Kurdi or Salahuddin), (born Doger Sevdet; 1977–2011), was a Kurdish Islamist militant fighting in Chechnya. Kurd was the top deputy to Saudi-born field commander Muhannad. F ...
(Kurdish) was also killed.
The battalion was split into multiple units of
Mujahideen commanded by their respective
Emir
Emir (; ar, أمير ' ), sometimes transliterated amir, amier, or ameer, is a word of Arabic origin that can refer to a male monarch, aristocrat, holder of high-ranking military or political office, or other person possessing actual or cer ...
s which disbanded by 2012.
See also
*
Pan-Islamism
Pan-Islamism ( ar, الوحدة الإسلامية) is a political movement advocating the unity of Muslims under one Islamic country or state – often a caliphate – or an international organization with Islamic principles. Pan-Islamism was ...
*
White Tights
White Tights, White Pantyhose or White Stockings (russian: белые колготки, ; lt, baltosios pėdkelnės; lv, baltās zeķbikses; et, valged sukkpüksid) is a Russian urban legend about female sniper mercenaries fighting against Ru ...
(Alleged female Baltic snipers in the Chechen Wars)
;Afghanistan:
*
Afghan mujahideen
*
Afghan Arabs
Afghan Arabs (also known as Arab-Afghans) are Arab and other Muslim Islamist mujahideen who came to Afghanistan during and following the Soviet–Afghan War to help fellow Muslims fight Soviets and pro-Soviet Afghans.
Estimates of the volun ...
;Yugoslav wars:
*
Bosnian mujahideen
Bosnian mujahideen ( bs, Bosanski mudžahedini), also called ''El Mudžahid'' (from ar, مجاهد, ''mujāhid''), were foreign Muslim volunteers who fought on the Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) side during the 1992–95 Bosnian War. They first arri ...
;Iraqi conflict:
*
Kurdish Mujahideen
References
{{Chechen wars
Caucasus Emirate
Jihadist groups
Second Chechen War
Pan-Islamism
Mujahideen