Ajnad al-Kavkaz

Ajnad al-Kavkaz
Arabic: أجناد القوقاز
Leaders
  • Abdul Hakim al-Shishani (Rustam Azhiev)[1] (overall emir)
  • Khamza al-Shishani †[2] (military emir)
  • Abu Bakr al-Shishani[3][4] (commander, 2016–17)
  • Abd al-Rahman al-Shishani[5]
Dates of operation2015[6]–present
Active regions
Ideology
Size
  • 2014: 80+ (Jamaat al-Khilafa al-Qawqazia);[8] 32 (Jamaat Jund al-Qawqaz)[9]
  • 2016: 100+[7]
  • 2017: c. 50–100[10]
  • 2018: c. 200[11]
Part ofArmy of Conquest[12] (formerly)
Allies Ukraine[13]
Opponents Syria
 Iran
 Russia
Battles and warsSyrian Civil War

2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine[5]

Preceded by
Jamaat al-Khilafa al-Qawqazia[22]
Jamaat Jund al-Qawqaz[9]

Ajnad al-Kavkaz (AK or AAK; Arabic: أجناد القوقاز ‘Ajnād al-Qawqāz; lit. 'Soldiers of the Caucasus')[16] is a Chechen-led[2] Salafi jihadist militant group in northwestern Syria, operating primarily in the mountainous and forested areas of Latakia Governorate. Although it was formed by former fighters of the Caucasus Emirate and was tentatively linked to the organization,[23] AK operated autonomously from the beginning and later cut ties with the Caucasus Emirate.[12] Though it had become "the largest of the Muslim factions from the former Soviet Union fighting in Syria"[7] by September 2016, AK's activity dwindled in the following years.[24] In 2022, the group's centre of operations shifted from Syria to Ukraine, as most AK militants had begun mobilizing to fight against the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[5] As of 2023, AK has largely been engaged in the Battle of Bakhmut in Ukraine.

  1. ^ Joanna Paraszuk (23 November 2014). "Ajnad al-Kavkaz amir Abdul Hakim Shishani was amir of central sector in Chechnya". From Chechnya to Syria. Archived from the original on 2017-06-28. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  2. ^ a b Joanna Paraszuk (3 March 2017). "A more detailed biography of Khamza Shishani of Ajnad al-Kavkaz". From Chechnya to Syria. Archived from the original on 11 October 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  3. ^ Joanna Paraszuk (9 February 2016). "Abu Bakr Shishani now fighting alongside Ajnad al-Kavkaz in Latakia". From Chechnya to Syria. Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  4. ^ Joanna Paraszuk (3 March 2017). "Abu Bakr Shishani (Muslim's former military amir) has his own Jamaat". From Chechnya to Syria. Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  5. ^ a b c d Sultan al-Kanj (22 October 2022). "Chechen fighters leave Syria to battle Russians in Ukraine". Al-Monitor.
  6. ^ a b c Joanna Paraszuk (23 November 2014). "Interview & Letter from Ajnad al-Kavkaz amir Abdul Hakim Shishani". From Chechnya to Syria. Archived from the original on 10 March 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  7. ^ a b c d Marcin Mamon (3 September 2016). "In Turkey, a Chechen Commander Makes Plans for War in Syria". The Intercept. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  8. ^ Joanna Paraszuk (6 October 2014). "Chechen faction Khalifat Jamaat split from Ansar al-Sham in Latakia". From Chechnya to Syria. Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  9. ^ a b Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi (23 November 2014). "Jamaat Jund al-Qawqaz: A Caucasus Emirate Group in Latakia". Syria Comment. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  10. ^ a b Joško Barić (20 March 2017). "The Path of Jihad from Caucasus to Syria". Syrian War Daily. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  11. ^ "Q&A: Would ISIS Fighters Return to Georgia?". Civil Georgia. 2 March 2018. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  12. ^ a b Joanna Paraszuk (22 May 2015). "Ajnad Kavkaz don't have bay'ah to Caucasus Emirate". From Chechnya to Syria. Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  13. ^ "Chechen fighters leave Syria to battle Russians in Ukraine - Al-Monitor: Independent, trusted coverage of the Middle East". 22 October 2022.
  14. ^ Joanna Paraszuk (31 March 2015). "Ajnad al-Kavkaz tell how their Jamaat helped 'liberate' Idlib". From Chechnya to Syria. Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  15. ^ Joanna Paraszuk (3 June 2015). "Abdul Hakim Shishani calls on North Caucasians to unite". From Chechnya to Syria. Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  16. ^ a b Joanna Paraszuk (6 July 2016). "Ajnad al-Kavkaz find machine gun & bullet proof vest belonging to 'Sulimov' in Latakia". From Chechnya to Syria. Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  17. ^ Thomas Joscelyn (28 June 2016). "Jihadists and other rebels attack Syrian regime positions in Latakia province". Long War Journal. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  18. ^ Izat Charkatli (8 October 2016). "Map Update: Syrian Army gains ground as jihadists collapse in Hama". al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 24 February 2019. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  19. ^ "Der Syrische Bürgerkrieg - Update 19 04 2017". Truppendienst.com (Austrian Armed Forces) (in German). 27 April 2017. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
  20. ^ Joško Barić (1 January 2018). "Syrian War Daily – 1st of January 2018". Syrian War Daily. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  21. ^ Joanna Paraszczuk (5 January 2018). "Ajnad al-Kavkaz view Iran protests with "guarded optimism"". From Chechnya to Syria. Archived from the original on 29 November 2018. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  22. ^ Joanna Paraszuk (30 March 2015). "Chechen faction Ajnad al-Kavkaz fights alongside JAN in Idlib". From Chechnya to Syria. Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  23. ^ "Jamaat Jund al-Qawqaz". Jihad Intel. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  24. ^ Neil Hauer (24 August 2021). "The End of Chechen Jihadis in Syria". al-Monitor. Retrieved 19 August 2022.