Analysts debate the reasons for the persecution of the Batalhajins.

The persecution of the Batalkhadzhins is linked to the presence of armed groups within their structure and their high mobilization capacity, according to a Caucasus expert. The reasons for the persecution are political, another analyst pointed out.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot," on December 30, the Russian FSB reported the arrest of members of the Batalkhadzhins' Ingush vird in Moscow, Ingushetia, and Chechnya, from whom a large quantity of weapons and ammunition was seized. Members of the Ingush Batalkhadzhin vird detained in three regions of Russia, according to investigators, had been engaged in apartment fraud for a long time, kidnapping and murdering their owners.

A Russian expert on the Caucasus stated, on condition of anonymity, that the Batalkhadzhin vird is a very powerful network.

"In Ingushetia, they have achieved impressive success in their spread. Like any Sufi network, they are initially religious, but any network seeks to subjugate certain spheres that will be useful to it. Thus, the Dagestani network that Said Afandi built sought to include various politicians and businessmen," he said. "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

According to the Caucasus expert, the Batalkhadzhins turned out to have a criminal streak.

"In particular, they tried to control the gold business. You know that there are a lot of Ingush in Magadan, in the gold-bearing regions. The boundaries of the religious network are beginning to blur, and a lot of side processes are emerging, armed groups are emerging. In addition, the Batalkhadzhins had the ability to mobilize. Probably for these reasons, the state considered them a threat to the state. The story of Eldzharkiev's murder also came into play. In general, a decision was made to ban them," he explained.

At some point, everything in the Batalkhadzhin network went out of control.

According to the Caucasus expert, the Batalkhadzhins, despite their network ramifications, operate quite Isolated from each other.

"The absence of a living sheikh played a role, so the Batalkhadzhins have no one to control them, no one to tell them to stop and act more wisely. Unlike the Dagestani Sufi networks, where there is a living sheikh, they don't overstep their bounds, they keep to themselves. Because there is a sheikh, someone everyone obeys, and there is a strategy for the development of the network. But in the Batalkhadzhin network, at some point, everything went out of control," he emphasized.

The Caucasologist believes that the fight against the Batalkhadzhins will continue. "They may be forced to go underground. They may not even recover." "Everything depends on how systematically they are combated," the Caucasus expert concluded.

Blogger Islam Belokiev stated that the arrests of the Batalkhadzhins do not appear to be a response to a real threat, but rather another attempt to construct a "convenient enemy" capable of distracting public attention from everyday problems.

"The history of this brotherhood has long been shrouded in rumors and speculation, largely due to its closed nature and exceptional cohesion. This has always aroused suspicion in Ingush society, although the Batalkhadzhins' religious views are almost indistinguishable from traditional Chechen-Ingush Sufi Muridism. Their internal discipline and mutual support contributed to the development of business, which inevitably gave rise to competition and irritation, including among influential representatives of the security forces. “It is in this context that we should look for the reasons for the pressure that has begun,” he told a “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.

With the start of the military operation in Ukraine, the Batalkhadzhins began to be increasingly included in the narrative of “external influence” and “ties with the West,” gradually criminalizing them and even attributing to them signs of terrorism.

According to the blogger, the key turning point was 2018, when the head of the Batalkhadzhin brotherhood, Ibrahim Belkharoev, was killed.

“Soon, in 2019, the head of Center “E,” Ibrahim Eldzharkiev, who many linked to Belkharoev’s murder, was killed. After his death, the persecution of the Batalkhadzhins began. Those who had long been hostile to them were given the opportunity to demand “tough measures” from federal agencies. Before that, There were no recorded serious clashes between the Batalkhadzhins and federal security forces. But then came a time when the state needed additional "threat images." With the start of the military operation in Ukraine, the Batalkhadzhins began to be increasingly incorporated into the narrative of "external influence" and "ties to the West," gradually criminalizing them and even attributing to them characteristics of terrorism," Belokiev explained.

As a result, he said, a dangerous practice is emerging.

"An undesirable, yet cohesive and economically independent group is becoming a target, not because of its actual danger, but for political and propaganda expediency," Belokiev noted.