Kabardino-Balkaria: -
Early militant activity: In August 2004 Yarmuk announced the beginning of military operations in the republic. Their online manifesto rejected terrorism, referring to alleged government responsibility for the 1999
Russian apartment bombings ("We are not fighting against women or children, like Russian invaders are doing in
Ichkeria. We are not blowing up sleeping people, like
FSB of the Russian Federation does"). The manifesto noted the corruption of the "mafia clans" that led the republic ("These mere apologies for rulers, who sold themselves to the invaders, have made drug addiction, prostitution, poverty, crime, depravity, drunkenness and unemployment prosper in our Republic"). The Vilayet KBK fighters began to simultaneously act as a
Taliban-style
morality police, targeting alleged "dens of vice". Between March and May 2011, the Russian Security Services killed nearly the entire leadership of the Vilayet, including overall Emir
Asker Dzhappuyev,
Emir Zakaria of the southwestern sector and Emir Abdul Jabbar of the Northeastern Sector.
-Low level insurgency: The death of so many commanders led to a decline in the number of rebel attacks in Kabardino-Balkaria, mostly taking the form of attacks on local police officials and police stations. In September 2011
Alim Zankishiev (aka Emir Ubaidallah) became the new leader of the rebels, he was killed by Russian security forces in March 2012. A security operation in Nalchik in September 2012 again saw the killing of several senior commanders (Emir Hamza of the North-Western sector and acting leader of the group, Ruslan Baryrbekov (also using the
Nom de guerre Amir Khamza) briefly became leader before being killed in September 2012 when Khasanbi Fakov became emir. Vilayat KBK suffered a split in August 2015, with Robert Zankishiev joining Caucasus Emirate commanders in other North Caucasus republics in
pledging allegiance to the
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) leader
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, while Zalim Shebzukhov led those who retained loyalty to the Caucasus Emirate. Both commanders were killed by Russian security forces in operations in November 2015 and August 2016 respectively.
Karachay-Cherkessia: The Karachay Jamaat was responsible for significant violence in
Karachay-Cherkessia and the wider
North Caucasus region, primarily from the mid-1990s through the 2010s. This insurgent group, founded in 1995, became a key player in the spread of
Salafism and Islamist extremism. Its activities included assassinations, bombings, and large-scale terrorist attacks.
1. Formation of the Karachay Battalion and its Role in Terrorism • Under the leadership of Ramazan Borlakov, the Karachay Battalion was formed in the late 1990s. It consisted of militants trained in the camps of the notorious Chechen-Arab
warlord Khattab. These militants were not only involved in local skirmishes and attacks but also participated in major terrorist operations across the North Caucasus. • The Karachay Battalion played a direct role in combat during the
Second Chechen War (1999-2009), launching attacks on Russian troops and government installations. Their operations in Chechnya were part of a larger effort to destabilize the region and push for the establishment of an
Islamic state under
Sharia law. 2. 1999 Russian Apartment Bombings • One of the most devastating attacks linked to the Karachay Jamaat's network, particularly through
Achemez Gochiyaev, was the
1999 Russian apartment bombings. These bombings targeted residential buildings in Moscow, Buynaksk, and Volgodonsk, killing over 300 civilians. The attacks were a pivotal moment, as they contributed to the start of the Second Chechen War and greatly intensified the Russian government's response to the North Caucasus insurgencies. • Although the extent of
Gochiyaev's involvement is debated, he remains one of the key figures suspected of orchestrating these bombings. The violence shocked the Russian public and demonstrated the far-reaching capabilities of North Caucasus insurgents to carry out mass-casualty attacks far beyond their home regions.
3. Assassinations and Targeted Killings • Throughout the 2000s, the Karachay Jamaat frequently used targeted assassinations as a means of destabilizing the local administration and eliminating figures who cooperated with Russian authorities. One of the most notable assassinations was
the 2007 killing of Mukharbi Cherkesov, the head of the anti-organized crime department in Karachay-Cherkessia. Cherkesov was a high-profile figure known for his efforts to combat criminal and insurgent networks in the republic. His assassination demonstrated the insurgents’ ability to target well-guarded officials with impunity. • Other assassinations included local imams, police officers, and politicians who were seen as collaborators with the Russian state. These killings fostered a climate of fear and intimidation, further destabilizing the region.
4. 2004 Moscow Metro Bombing • Another significant attack tied to the Karachay Jamaat leadership, specifically Nikolay Kipkeev, was the
2004 Moscow Metro bombing. On February 6, 2004, a bomb detonated in the Avtozavodskaya metro station, killing 41 people and injuring over 100. Kipkeev was one of the key organizers behind this attack. This bombing showed the Jamaat's reach beyond the North Caucasus, striking at the heart of Russia's capital and causing mass civilian casualties.
5. Insurgency in Karachay-Cherkessia and Neighboring Regions • Beyond high-profile terrorist attacks, the Karachay Jamaat engaged in numerous smaller-scale acts of violence, including ambushes on police patrols, attacks on military checkpoints, and bombings targeting government facilities. These attacks were typically carried out by small cells operating in the mountainous and rural areas of Karachay-Cherkessia, where the terrain made it easier for militants to hide and launch operations. • Local businesses and officials who refused to comply with the Jamaat's demands for protection money or support were often attacked, with bombings or arson targeting their properties.
6. Unification and Intensification of Insurgent Activity • After the 2007 unification of the Karachay Jamaat with the Kabardino-Balkarian Jamaat to form the United Vilayat of Kabarda, Balkaria, and Karachay, the violence intensified in the region. This unification allowed for better coordination between insurgent cells, leading to larger and more coordinated attacks on Russian security forces and infrastructure. • Shootouts between insurgents and Russian forces became more frequent in the early 2010s, with many militants being killed in counterterrorism operations. For example, Russian forces frequently targeted militants hiding in the mountainous regions, leading to heavy firefights and casualties on both sides. Russian security forces responded with aggressive counterterrorism operations, targeting key leaders of the Jamaat. By the mid-2010s, many leaders had been killed or captured, weakening the group's operational capacity. However, smaller cells continued sporadic attacks into the later years. Despite the decline in violence, the insurgency left a lasting impact on the region, fueled by radical ideology and involvement with foreign jihadist networks. == Casualties ==