Description
This chapter of the doctoral thesis examines the dynamics of Islamic transnational activism in the Caucasus. The central argument posits that Islamic resistance in the Caucasus has consistently transcended regional boundaries, involving a variety of actors. The chapter delineates five distinct periods of resistance. Firstly, during the Russo-Caucasus war in the 19th century, adherents of Naqshbandiyya Khalidiyya established well-connected networks between Caucasus peoples and Middle Eastern actors. Secondly, the nationalist-secessionist conflicts in the former Soviet Union, encompassing the Armenian-Azerbaijani war in Nagorno-Karabakh, the secessionist conflict in Abkhazia, and the first Russo-Chechen war. Although the Islamic factor played a minor role in this period, it attracted foreign fighters from the Caucasus and the Middle East, motivated by ethnic or religious solidarity. The third period examines the second Chechen war, characterized by a notable presence of jihadi foreign fighters in a predominantly nationalist conflict. The fourth period explores the Imarat Kavkaz insurgency in the North Caucasus, wherein the nationalist frame was supplanted by a jihadi one. Finally, the chapter delves into the conflict in Syria, where Caucasian foreign fighters became integral participants in global jihad.
