Description
The shift from a nationalist and separatist insurgency to a regional and Islamist movement and the role leaders play in the transition process remains neglected on the margins of research in international studies. This paper examines the insurgency in the North Caucasus, which evolved from a frame of activism associated with the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria (ChRI) to a regional insurgency known as the Imarat Kavkaz. The first part of the paper introduces Abdul-Khalim Sadulayev, the leader of the ChRI who oversaw the transformation of the insurgency. Although only in power for a short period, Sadulayev was a leader who sought to traverse several internal and external challenges to his leadership and the movement. In the second part of the paper, we develop an account of leadership as a negotiated process, highlighting the importance of assessing leadership succession and enabling analysis of the challenges faced by Sadulayev. The third part of the paper locates Sadulayev’s role in leading the movement through a period of change. The final section examines the implications of Sadulayev’s leadership for external operations undertaken by the movement. The paper, therefore, contributes to work on militant groups, leadership, and succession in international studies.
