Abdalaziz Alhamza “RBSS”
According to several journals and news websites, security sources have stated that the last bombing in Ataturk airport was made by a group of ISIS fighters, who had Georgian and Chechen origins. Ahmed Chataev, From Chechnya, is the mastermind of the bombings according to Turkish media.
Militants from the former Soviet Union fill several positions in ISIS, most notable, Tarkhan Batirashvili known as Omar Al-Shishani who was killed several months ago by the International Coalition in Al-Shaddadi near Hasakah.
Omar Al-Shishani has trained several groups of militants to commit suicide attacks in Syria, regional countries and even The United States as investigations revealed that the responsible for Boston Marathon bombing in 2013 were two young ISIS supporters who had Chechen origins.
It is estimated that the number of ISIS fighters from countries of the former Soviet Union is about 2800, which is 28% of ISIS foreign militants.
ISIS publishes its magazine “Dabiq” in several languages including Chechen and Russian. Moreover, the terrorist group broadcast several programs in Chechen and Russian via Al-Bayan, ISIS radio station. These facts show the important role played by fighters from previous Soviet countries.
According to a Chechen minister, the Chechen government has recruited a number of Russian and Chechen fighters and used them as spies. In the same context, ISIS executed Mohammed Khasiev for spying for Russian intelligence, which was denied by Chechen president Ramzan Kadyrov.
Involvement of the Caucasian Jihadists in the Syrian battlefield is considered as a fundamental shift in ISIS activity, as these fighters are from Islamic countries dominated by Russia, such as: Chechnya, Dagestan, Ingushetia and Kabardino-Balkaria along with some central Asian republics such as: Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
These fighters are known for their combat efficiency, which they have gained because of dozens of battles against the Russian army.
In the same context, several Caucasian leaders have got the experience due to their military service in the Russian army or the armies of the Caucasian countries such as Gulmurod Khalimov who served in the Special Forces in Tajikistan.
These fighters are also known for their excessive brutality as well as leadership tendency such as Abu Omar Al-Shishani, who had led the military operations in Syria before he died, Muslim Abu Walid Al-Shishani the commander of Junud al-Sham, Sayfullah al Shishani the commander of Mujahideen of The Caucasus and The Levant, Salahuddin Shishani the commander of Jaish Al-Muhajireen Wal-Ansar and Ahmed Chataev the commander of Yarmouk Battalion.
Caucasians depends on their military experience to fill leadership positions in the field, and they gather in blocs in ISIS structure which gives them power and influence, the terrorist group includes four basic formations consisting mostly of Russian speakers.
It is expected to notice an increase in targeting Russian civilian sites in more violence and brutal ways by terrorist groups that support ISIS in order to simulate the terrifying picture of ISIS that achieves a victory in the psychological war against the enemies.
