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In February of 2008, he was reportedly killed by officers of the Russian [[Ministry of Internal Affairs (Russia)|Ministry of Internal Affairs]] (MVD) during a search operation near the village of Arshty in [[Ingushetia]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Суб., 19.05.1432 Hjr / 23.04.2011, 23:31 по Имарату |url=http://www.kavkazcenter.com/russ/content/2008/02/12/56259.shtml |title=ВИЛАЙЯТ Г1АЛГ1АЙЧЕ. Близ Аршты погиб моджахед |publisher=Kavkazcenter.com |date= |accessdate=2011-04-23}}</ref> Interfax refuted Muhannad's death the same day, saying it was a different militant.<ref>Ibid.</ref> [[Dokka Umarov]] later appeared on video with Muhannad to refute statements of his death, calling them lies and propaganda.<ref>[http://caucasus.wordpress.com/2008/03/02/amir-abu-uthman-refuting-lies-of-kuffar-about-muhannad/ Amir Abu Uthman: Refuting Lies of Kuffar About Muhannad]{{dead link|date=April 2011}}</ref>
In February of 2008, he was reportedly killed by officers of the Russian [[Ministry of Internal Affairs (Russia)|Ministry of Internal Affairs]] (MVD) during a search operation near the village of Arshty in [[Ingushetia]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Суб., 19.05.1432 Hjr / 23.04.2011, 23:31 по Имарату |url=http://www.kavkazcenter.com/russ/content/2008/02/12/56259.shtml |title=ВИЛАЙЯТ Г1АЛГ1АЙЧЕ. Близ Аршты погиб моджахед |publisher=Kavkazcenter.com |date= |accessdate=2011-04-23}}</ref> Interfax refuted Muhannad's death the same day, saying it was a different militant.<ref>Ibid.</ref> [[Dokka Umarov]] later appeared on video with Muhannad to refute statements of his death, calling them lies and propaganda.<ref>[http://caucasus.wordpress.com/2008/03/02/amir-abu-uthman-refuting-lies-of-kuffar-about-muhannad/ Amir Abu Uthman: Refuting Lies of Kuffar About Muhannad]{{dead link|date=April 2011}}</ref>


According to different sources, Muhannad took part in attacks on Russian security forces in eastern Chechnya in 2008 and in western Chechnya along the border with Ingushetia in 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.jamestown.org/single/?no_cache=1&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=37867 |title=Emir Muhannad: The Last of Chechnya’s Arab Volunteers |publisher=The Jamestown Foundation |date= |accessdate=2011-06-22}}</ref> In January of 2009, he issued a statement declaring the Caucasus Emirate's support for the Palestinians in Gaza who at that time were under siege by the Israeli military.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://http://www.kavkaz.org.uk/russ/content/2009/01/20/63503.shtml |title=Emir Muhannad: The Caucasus Supports Gaza |publisher=Kavkaz Center |date=2009-01-20 |accessdate=2011-06-23}}</ref>
According to different sources, Muhannad took part in attacks on Russian security forces in eastern Chechnya in 2008 and in western Chechnya along the border with Ingushetia in 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.jamestown.org/single/?no_cache=1&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=37867 |title=Emir Muhannad: The Last of Chechnya’s Arab Volunteers |publisher=The Jamestown Foundation |date= |accessdate=2011-06-22}}</ref> In January of 2009, he issued a statement declaring the Caucasus Emirate's support for the Palestinians in Gaza who at that time were under siege by the Israeli military;<ref>{{cite web|url= http://http://www.kavkaz.org.uk/russ/content/2009/01/20/63503.shtml |title=Emir Muhannad: The Caucasus Supports Gaza |publisher=Kavkaz Center |date=2009-01-20 |accessdate=2011-06-23}}</ref> when he followed that with a declaration on 6 April appointing al-Bara to the role of Emir of the Dagestani front,<ref>{{cite web|url= http://http://www.kavkaz.org.uk/eng/content/2009/04/12/10652.shtml |title=Emir Bara appointed commander of Dagestan front |publisher=Kavkaz Center |date=2009-04-12 |accessdate=2011-06-23}}</ref> it suggested that Muhannad had a larger profile within the Caucasus Emirate than most believed a foreign fighter could attain, and that he had the legitimate ability to influence decisions made by Umarov.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.jamestown.org/single/?no_cache=1&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=37867 |title=Emir Muhannad: The Last of Chechnya’s Arab Volunteers |publisher=The Jamestown Foundation |date= |accessdate=2011-06-23}}</ref>


==Death==
==Death==

Revision as of 04:33, 23 June 2011

Muhannad
مهند
4th Emir of the Arab Mujahideen in Chechnya
In office
2006–2011
Preceded byAbu Hafs al-Urduni
Succeeded byAbdulla Kurd
Personal details
BornInfobox Military Person
1969[1]
Died21 April 2011[2]
Resting placeInfobox Military Person
Parent
  • Infobox Military Person
Military service
Battles/warsSecond Chechen War

Khaled Yusuf Muhammad al-Emirate (sometimes spelled al-Elitat), more commonly known as Muhannad (مهند; Mukhannad or Mukhanad, Russian: Муханнад, sometimes Моганнед), and also known as Abu Anas (ابو أنس), was a Mujahid Emir (commander) fighting in Chechnya. After the death of Abu Hafs al-Urduni on 26 November 2006, he assumed leadership of the Arab Mujahideen in Chechnya,[3] the battalion of foreign fighters originally commanded by the notorious Saudi-born warlord Ibn al-Khattab.

Although some Russian language sources claim he was a Jordanian national and also dispute the spelling of his last name, it is commonly believed that he was Saudi, while Russia’s National Anti-terrorism Committee (NAK) gives his full name as Khaled Yusuf Muhammad al-Emirate.[4] He was killed outside the village of Serzhen-Yurt, Chechnya on 21 April 2011.

Early Life

Although little is reliably known of Muhannad’s early life, he was born in 1969 and hailed from the Medina area of Saudi Arabia’s western Hejaz region.[5] He is credited with graduating with honors from the Islamic Institute in Medina, and is believed to be from an ancient grouping known as the Ansars, meaning “supporters of the Prophet.”[6]

Rebel Activity

Muhannad arrived in the Caucasus during the early days of the Second Chechen War, attempting to pass through Georgia into Chechnya. Upon arrival in the Pankisi Gorge – a mountainous valley in northeastern Georgia inhabited mostly by ethnic Chechens known as Kists – Muhannad waited almost two years for his opportunity to cross the border.[7] During his time living amongst the Chechen refugees, Muhannad gave lectures on the history of Islam and advocated a “purer” form of Islam than that traditionally practiced by Chechens; it is perhaps no coincidence that Wahabbi influence began to appear in Pankisi around this same time.[8] Muhannad was eventually able to gain entry into Chechnya with a group controlled by the Akhmadov brothers in 2001; arriving alongside him were other prominent Arab fighters such as Abu Hafs al-Urduni, Abu Atiya, Abu Rabia, and others.[9] Having acquired previous battlefield experience in Afghanistan, Bosnia, and Kosovo, Muhannad joined the battalion of Arab Mujahideen in Chechnya led by Khattab.[10]

In October of 2006, Chechen Republic of Ichkeria president Dokka Umarov made Muhannad one of three deputies to Magomet 'Magas' Yevloyev, the Ingush commander of the separatist military wing then known as the Caucasian Front. [11] The following month, Abu Hafs al-Urduni - the successor to Abu al-Walid (killed in 2004) and Khattab (killed in 2002) as commander of the Arab Mujahideen in Chechnya - was killed by Russian forces in Dagestan, leading to Muhannad's unanimous appointment as the new Emir on 9 December 2006.[12] It is likely that in this same time period, he became the key facilitator connecting Chechen separatists to financial supporters in the Middle East.[13]

Following Umarov's declaration of a North Caucasus-wide insurgent organization called the Caucasus Emirate in September of 2007, Muhannad was declared his naib, or deputy.[14] In the meantime, Muhannad was also a ranking member of the rebel unit commanded by Aslambek Vadalov, and his participation in combat operations put him on equal footing with his indigenous counterparts, garnering him much respect.[15]

In February of 2008, he was reportedly killed by officers of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) during a search operation near the village of Arshty in Ingushetia.[16] Interfax refuted Muhannad's death the same day, saying it was a different militant.[17] Dokka Umarov later appeared on video with Muhannad to refute statements of his death, calling them lies and propaganda.[18]

According to different sources, Muhannad took part in attacks on Russian security forces in eastern Chechnya in 2008 and in western Chechnya along the border with Ingushetia in 2009.[19] In January of 2009, he issued a statement declaring the Caucasus Emirate's support for the Palestinians in Gaza who at that time were under siege by the Israeli military;[20] when he followed that with a declaration on 6 April appointing al-Bara to the role of Emir of the Dagestani front,[21] it suggested that Muhannad had a larger profile within the Caucasus Emirate than most believed a foreign fighter could attain, and that he had the legitimate ability to influence decisions made by Umarov.[22]

Death

Muhannad was killed in a "special operation" by Russian security forces in the vicinity of Serzhen-Yurt, Chechnya on 21 April 2011. Police conducting a search in the mountain woodlands east of Serzhen-Yurt came upon Muhannad and another militant, identified as a "resident of Grozny named Sultygov born in 1986."[23] After offering armed resistance, Muhannad and Sultygov were killed in an exchange of gunfire with security forces. Russian television showed footage of Muhannad's body on 22 April 2011,[24] a common practice by Russian authorities following the successful "liquidation" of militant commanders. Muhannad's death has been described as one of the biggest blows to the overall North Caucasus Insurgency. He was regarded as part of the old guard of emirs, who has been fighting since 1999. His deputy Emir Abdullah Kurd, a Turk by origin was also killed a few weeks later, capping a momentous month for FSB Spetsnaz troops after the killing of several high ranking Emirs in other provinces, the likes of Supyan Abdullayev(Deputy Emir of the Caucasus Emirate), Israpil Velijanov(Emnir of Dagestan), Asker Djappuyev(Emir of Kabardino Balkaria) and several other fields commanders and lesser known Emirs of smaller sectors. Muhannad's liquidation is of significant importance given that he was arguably the most ruthless, capable and tactically proficient of all the Arab Emirs in The North Caucasus.

See also

References

  1. ^ "НАК: один из убитых в Чечне боевиков является эмиссаром 'Аль-Каиды' на Северном Кавказе". Кавказский узел. Retrieved 23 April 2011.
  2. ^ Al-Qaeda terrorist commander killed in Chechnya. Russia Today. 22 April, 2011. {{cite AV media}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ Sat., 19.05.1432 Hjr / 23.04.2011, 23:30 Emirate time. "KavkazCenter; Commander Muhannad Assumes the Leadership of Arab Mujahideen in Chechnya". Kavkazcenter.com. Retrieved 2011-04-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ "Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: Legendary Arab Commander Reported Killed in Chechnya". Rferl.org. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  5. ^ "Emir Muhannad: The Last of Chechnya's Arab Volunteers". The Jamestown Foundation. Retrieved 2011-06-22.
  6. ^ Ibid.
  7. ^ Ibid.
  8. ^ Ibid.
  9. ^ Ibid.
  10. ^ Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. "Legendary Arab Commander Reported Killed In Chechnya". Caucasus Report. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  11. ^ "''Magas: Shamil Basaev's Ingush Successor'". The Jamestown Foundation's North Caucasus Analysis, Volume: 8 Issue: 31. 2 August 2007. Retrieved 23 April 2011.
  12. ^ Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. "Arab Named to Command Mercenaries in Chechnya". Newsline- December 18, 2006. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  13. ^ "Emir Muhannad: The Last of Chechnya's Arab Volunteers". The Jamestown Foundation. Retrieved 2011-06-22.
  14. ^ Ibid.
  15. ^ Ibid.
  16. ^ Суб., 19.05.1432 Hjr / 23.04.2011, 23:31 по Имарату. "ВИЛАЙЯТ Г1АЛГ1АЙЧЕ. Близ Аршты погиб моджахед". Kavkazcenter.com. Retrieved 2011-04-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  17. ^ Ibid.
  18. ^ Amir Abu Uthman: Refuting Lies of Kuffar About Muhannad[dead link]
  19. ^ "Emir Muhannad: The Last of Chechnya's Arab Volunteers". The Jamestown Foundation. Retrieved 2011-06-22.
  20. ^ "Emir Muhannad: The Caucasus Supports Gaza". Kavkaz Center. 2009-01-20. Retrieved 2011-06-23. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  21. ^ "Emir Bara appointed commander of Dagestan front". Kavkaz Center. 2009-04-12. Retrieved 2011-06-23. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  22. ^ "Emir Muhannad: The Last of Chechnya's Arab Volunteers". The Jamestown Foundation. Retrieved 2011-06-23.
  23. ^ "''НАК: один из убитых в Чечне боевиков является эмиссаром "Аль-Каиды" на Северном Кавказе''". Кавказский узел. 22 April 2011. Retrieved 23 April 2011.
  24. ^ Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. "Legendary Arab Commander Reported Killed In Chechnya". Caucasus Report. Retrieved 26 April 2011.

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