Experts note strengthening of split among Chechen militants in Syria

The terror act in Istanbul has intensified the split in the ranks of the natives of Chechnya, involved in hostilities in Syria. This opinion was expressed by Ekaterina Sokiryanskaya, the project director for Russia and Northern Caucasus of the International Crisis Group (ICG), and journalist Joanna Paraschuk. According to them, the leaders of a number of militant groupings are now trying to ultimately distance from the "Islamic State" (IS) banned in Russia.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on June 28, the terror act was committed at the Istanbul airport. As a result, 45 people were killed, and more than 200 others were injured. The grouping "Djunud al-Sham", banned in Russia, declared its non-involvement in the terror act. In his video appeal posted on YouTube, Muslim al-Shishani, the leader of the grouping "Djunud al-Sham", has claimed that its members do not attack civilians.

Furthermore, Muslim al-Shishani has said that his grouping does not cooperate with the IS and strongly condemned its activities. According to Muslim al-Shishani, his grouping is grateful to Turkey for helping Chechens in the country.

Earlier, the grouping "Adjnad al-Caucasus", led by Abdul-Khakim al-Shishani, has made a similar statement. Members of the grouping are natives of Chechnya, and in Syria, they are treated as "moderate rebels", the newspaper "The Independent" reports.

According to Joanna Paraschuk, an analyst of the British analytical centre "HIS Janes", the leaders of the groupings "fear of losing support among the civilian population, including in Turkey."

Ekaterina Sokiryanskaya, the project director for Russia and Northern Caucasus of the International Crisis Group (ICG), believes that the terror act in Istanbul "could be organized Akhmed Chataev." She does not rule out that one of the objectives of the terror act "might be radicalization of the Caucasian communities."

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.