Derbent Jamaat | |
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Leaders | Rappani Khalilov † Abdul Madzhid † Magomed Vagabov † Israpil Velijanov † Kamaldin Kazimagomedov † Hasan Abdullaev † |
Dates of operation | 2007 – 5 November 2016 |
Active regions | Russian North Caucasus (Dagestan) |
Part of | Shariat Jamaat |
Allies | Caucasus Emirate |
Opponents | Russia Azerbaijan |
Battles and wars | Insurgency in the North Caucasus Attack on Abu Bakr Mosque of Baku Operation Eagle |
Derbent Jamaat (Russian: Дербентский джамаат), also known as the Forest Brothers (Russian: Лесные братья, Azerbaijani: Meşə qardaşları), and the Southern Group (Russian: Группировка «Южная»), was an Islamist Jihadist group based in the Russian republic of Dagestan, part of the Shariat Jamaat of the Caucasus Emirate. The group had engaged in attacks on law enforcement officers, organized terrorist attacks, distributed Wahhabi literature, and undertook propaganda and agitation activities in Dagestan and the neighboring country of Azerbaijan.
The group was created and headed by Rappani Khalilov until his death in September 2007. He was succeeded by emir Abdul Madzhid. Participant of the Chechen Wars, Madzhid was killed in September 2008 and was replaced by Israpil Velijanov. After the death of Velijanov in April 2011, the Derbent Jamaat became disoriented, though it remained active until its remaining members were killed in November 2016.