Caucasus Emirate

The Caucasus Emirate also known as the Caucasian Emirate is a self proclaimed successor state to the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria and was announced on October 31 2007 by former President Doku Umarov. Its military branch is the Caucasian Front.

History

On October 31, 2007, the separatist news agency Chechenpress reported that Umarov had proclaimed the Caucasus Emirate and declared himself its Emir, thereby abolishing the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria and its presidency. In the same statement in which Umarov proclaimed the Caucasian Emirate, he also described the United States, the UK and Israel as common enemies of Muslims worldwide. Doku Umarov later changed his statement saying the U.S.A. and the U.K. were not enemies of muslims but still regarding Israel as an enemy of muslims. [ [http://caucasus.wordpress.com/2007/12/02/the-statement-by-amir-dokka-umarov-about-the-declaration-of-the-caucasus-emirate-07102007/ Official Release of the Statement by Amir Dokka Umarov about the Declaration of the Caucasus Emirate1] ] However, on November 20, Anzor Astemirov, who himself took credit for the idea of the Caucasian Emirate [ [http://jamestown.org/chechnya_weekly/article.php?articleid=2373823 Chechnya Weekly from the Jamestown Foundation ] ] , said that “Even if we wanted to threaten America and Europe every day, it is clear for anybody who understands politics that we do not have any real clashes of interests (with the West-AS)." He added, “The people in the White House know very well that we have nothing to do with America at the moment." In his statement, Astemirov not only described the Caucasian rebels’ threats against the West as empty, but also even asked the United States for assistance in their fight against Russian agression. [ [http://www.jamestown.org/chechnya_weekly/article.php?articleid=2373840 Is the Caucasian Emirate a Threat to the Western World?] ] Following its criticism, many rebel websites removed the phrase that regarded western countries as enemies. [ [http://www.jamestown.org/chechnya_weekly/article.php?articleid=2373971 Rebel Hierarchy Changes in the Wake of Umarov's Emirate Decree] ]

The declaration of the Caucasian Emirate was quickly condemned by Akhmed Zakayev, Umarov's own minister of foreign affairs. Zakayev, who lives in exile in London, called upon all separatist fighters and politicians to pledge allegiance directly to the Chechen parliament in an attempt to isolate Umarov from power. [ [http://www.chechenpress.co.uk/english/news/2007/10/31/05.shtml Chechenpress; Statement by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria] ] Zakayev expressed regret that Umarov had caved in to pressure from "provocateurs" and committed a "crime" that undermines the legitimacy of the ChRI. [ [http://rferl.org/featuresarticle/2007/11/cb5cbb01-fd76-4e85-af8a-3bec1baf4ec2.html In Video, Chechen Separatist Leader Declares ‘Jihad’ On West] ]

Structure

The Caucasus Emirate is composed of the following "Vilayats":
*Vilayat Dagestan
*Vilayat Noxçiyçö (Chechnya)
*Vilayat Ġalġayçö (Ingushetia)
*Vilayat Iriston (Ossetia)
*Vilayat Nogay steppe (Areas inhabited by Nogay people in Dagestan and Chechnya)
*The joint Vilayat Kabarda, Balkar (Kabardino-Balkaria) and Karachay (the greater part of Karachay-Cherkessia) [ [http://www.kavkazcenter.com/eng/content/2007/12/11/9167.shtml Amir of the Caucasus Emirate abolishes the Cabinet of Ministers, the Parliament of the former C.R.I.] ]

Foreign Relations

Reaction to the 2008 South Ossetia war

On the 9 August 2008 in response to the conflict between Georgia and Russia, Movladi Udugov a spokesman for the Caucasus Emirate, stated that "for the time being neither Tbilisi nor Washington has not appealed to us with any requests or offers" to fight alongside Georgian forces against the Russian forces. Udugov also noted: "But I clearly can say that the command of the Caucasus Emirate is following with great interest the development of the situation." [ [http://kavkazcenter.com/eng/content/2008/08/09/10050.shtml Udugov: "For the time being neither Tbilisi nor Washington has not appealed to us with any requests"] ]

References

Externals links

* [http://caucasus.wordpress.com/ The statements and news of the Caucasian Emirate in English]
* [http://caucasusemirate.maktoobblog.com/ The statements and news of the Caucasian Emirate in Arabic]