Ruslan Machalikashvili (?February 2014), commonly known by his ''

nom de guerre A ''nom de guerre'' (, 'war name') is a pseudonym chosen by someone to use when they are involved in a particular activity, especially fighting in a war. In Ancien régime, ''ancien régime'' Kingdom of France, France it would be adopted by each n ...

'' Sayfullakh Shishani, was one of the

Chechen mujahideen in Syria The Chechen mujahideen in Syria (; ; Chechen: Noxçiyn mudƶahidaş Şemaẋ) are ethnic Chechen members of Sunni Islamist armed groups. They are organized into military factions, and take part in the civil war in Syria to fight against the g ...

from 2012 until his death in February 2014.

Life

Shishani was born Ruslan Machalikashvili and took up the

Sayfullakh Shishani. He lived in Turkey, taking part in demonstrations in

Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...

and was part of the Chechen diaspora there. He was fluent in

Turkish Turkish may refer to: * Something related to Turkey ** Turkish language *** Turkish alphabet ** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation *** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey *** Turkish communities in the former Ottoman Empire * The w ...

. Unlike other Chechen fighters, he had no previous combat experience before arriving in Syria in 2012. However, after his death, a confidant claimed that he had fought both in

Chechnya Chechnya, officially the Chechen Republic, is a Republics of Russia, republic of Russia. It is situated in the North Caucasus of Eastern Europe, between the Caspian Sea and Black Sea. The republic forms a part of the North Caucasian Federa ...

and

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...

. Shishani met

Abu Omar al-Shishani Tarkhan Tayumurazovich Batirashvili ( ka, თარხან ბათირაშვილი; 11 January 1986 – 10 July 2016), known by his ''nom de guerre'' Abu Omar al-Shishani () or Omar al-Shishani, was a Chechen- Georgian jihadist who ...

sometime after arriving in Syria, where they were initially close and worked together in

Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar Liwa al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar (LMA, ), Brigade of Emigrants and Supporters or literally Banner of the Emigrants and Supporters), also known as Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar (JMA or JAMWA, , Army of Emigrants and Supporters), formerly the Muhajire ...

(JMWA). He was expelled from JMWA in August 2013 by al-Shishani, reportedly over whether the group should remain independent or pledge allegiance to ISIS, with Shishani favoring independence. He initially formed a group named "Mujahideen Kavkaz fi Sham" in September, though the following month, he announced that it would be known as Jaish Khilafah al-Islamiyya. It was briefly independent until the group pledged allegiance to the

Al-Nusra Front Al-Nusra Front or Jabhat al-Nusra or Jabhat Nusrat Ahl al-Sham, also known as Front for the Conquest of the Levant, and also later known as Jabhat Fatah al-Sham was a Salafi-jihadist organization that fought against Ba'athist Syria, Ba'athist ...

in December 2013. His fighters were trained by Muslim Shishani.

Death

Shishani was killed in Aleppo Governorate in February 2014, during a raid on Aleppo Central Prison, which he viewed as a condition of swearing

Bay'ah ''Bayʿah'' (, "Pledge of allegiance"), in Islamic terminology, is an oath of allegiance to a leader. It is known to have been practiced by the Islamic prophet Muhammad. In Bedouin culture it was a procedure for choosing the leader of the trib ...

to join Al-Nusra Front. He may have died from a shrapnel wound. He was eulogized by

Abu Mohammad al-Julani Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa (born 29 October 1982) also known by his ''nom de guerre'' Abu Mohammad al-Julani, is a Syrian politician and former rebel commander serving as the president of Syria since January 2025. He previously served as the coun ...

, the leader of the Al-Nusra Front. Shishani was succeeded by Mohammed Khorasani.

References

{{reflist 2014 deaths Chechen Islamists Georgian people of Chechen descent Islamists from Georgia (country) Military personnel killed in the Syrian civil war Salafi jihadists