Shamil Basayev

In this name that follows Eastern Slavic naming customs, the patronymic is Salmanovich and the family name is Basayev.
Shamil Basayev
Шамиль Басаев
Салман ВоӀ Шамиль
Salman Voj Şamil
Basayev on the last day of the Budyonnovsk raid on 19 June 1995
Prime Minister of Ichkeria
In office
1 January 1998 – 3 July 1998
Preceded byAslan Maskhadov
Succeeded byAslan Maskhadov
Personal details
Born(1965-01-14)14 January 1965
Dyshne-Vedeno, Checheno–Ingush ASSR, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Died10 July 2006(2006-07-10) (aged 41)
Ekazhevo, Ingushetia, Russia
AwardsHero of the Nation
NicknameAbdullah Shamil Abu-Idris
Military service
Allegiance Confederation of Mountain Peoples of the Caucasus
Chechen Republic of Ichkeria
 Azerbaijan
Years of service1991–2006
RankBrigadier General
Commands Armed Forces of Ichkeria
Islamic Peacekeeping Brigade
Caucasian Front
Riyadus-Salihiin
Battles/wars

Shamil Salmanovich Basayev (Chechen: Салман ВоӀ Шамиль; Salman Voj Şamil; Russian: Шамиль Салманович Басаев; 14 January 1965 – 10 July 2006), also known by his kunya "Abu Idris", was a Chechen guerilla leader who served as a senior military commander in the breakaway Chechen Republic of Ichkeria. He held the rank of brigadier general in the Armed Forces of Ichkeria, and was posthumously declared generalissimo. As a military commander in the separatist armed forces of Chechnya, one of his most notable battles was the separatist recapture of Grozny in 1996, which he personally planned and commanded together with Aslan Maskhadov. He also masterminded several of the worst terrorist attacks that occurred in Russia.[1][2]

Starting as a field commander in the Transcaucasus, Basayev led guerrilla campaigns against Russian forces for years, as well as launching mass-hostage takings of civilians, with his goal being the withdrawal of Russian soldiers from Chechnya.[3] From 1997 to 1998, he also served as the vice-prime minister of the breakaway state in Aslan Maskhadov's government. Beginning in 2003, Basayev used the nom de guerre and title of "Emir Abdullah Shamil Abu-Idris". As Basayev's ruthless reputation gained notoriety, he became well revered among his peers and eventually became the highest ranking Chechen military commander and was considered the undisputed leader of the Chechen insurgency as well as being the overall senior leader of all other Chechen rebel factions.

He ordered the Budyonnovsk hospital raid in 1995, the Beslan school siege in 2004,[4] and was responsible for numerous attacks on security forces in and around Chechnya.[5][6][7] He also masterminded the 2002 Moscow theater hostage crisis and the 2004 Russian aircraft bombings. ABC News described him as "one of the most-wanted terrorists in the world".[8] Despite his aura, journalist Tom de Waal described him as "almost unassuming in the flesh", being "of medium height, with a bushy beard and high forehead worthy of a Moscow intellectual, and a quiet voice."[9]

Basayev was killed in a truck explosion during an arms deal in July 2006. Forensic evidence suggests that his death was caused when a landmine he was examining exploded, but Russian officials have also claimed that one of the Kamaz trucks used was booby-trapped and detonated to destroy the arms shipment, also killing Basayev.

  1. ^ "Chechen Rebel Leader Basayev Killed in Blast". pbs.org. 10 July 2006.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference bbc-obituary was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Jonathan Steele (11 July 2006). "Shamil Basayev -Chechen politician seeking independence through terrorism". Obituary. London. one-time guerrilla commander who turned into a mastermind of spectacular and brutal terrorist actions ... served for several months as prime minister
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference abcbeslan was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "Russia's tactics make Chechen war spread across Caucasus". Kavkaz. 16 September 2005. Archived from the original on 1 January 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2010.
  6. ^ "Russia: RFE/RL Interviews Chechen Field Commander Umarov". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 28 July 2005. Retrieved 4 November 2010.
  7. ^ No Terrorist Acts in Russia Since Beslan: Whom to Thank? Archived 18 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ "Chechen Guerilla Leader Calls Russians 'Terrorists'". ABC News. 28 July 2005. Retrieved 30 March 2010.
  9. ^ "Shamil Basayev: Chechen warlord" (30 September 1999), BBC News. Retrieved 12 April 2020.