Dokka Umarov

Dokka Umarov
Ӏумар Доккa
Umarov during the Caucasus insurgency
1st Emir of the Caucasus Emirate
In office 31 October 2007 – 7 September 2013[1]
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Aliaskhab Kebekov
5th President of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria
Acting
In office 17 June 2006 – 31 October 2007
Vice President	Shamil Basayev (acting) Supyan Abdullayev (acting)
Preceded by	Abdul-Halim Sadulayev (acting)
Succeeded by	Position abolished (Prime Minister in exile: Akhmed Zakayev)
Personal details
Born	(1964-04-13)13 April 1964 Kharsenoi, Chechen-Ingush ASSR, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Died	September 7, 2013(2013-09-07) (aged 49) Sunzhensky District, Ingushetia, Russia
Children	6
Military service
Allegiance	Chechen Republic of Ichkeria (1994–2007)  Caucasus Emirate (2007–2013)
Years of service	1994–2013
Rank	Emir of the Caucasus Emirate
Battles/wars	First Chechen War Second Chechen War North Caucasus Insurgency War in Ingushetia

Doku Khamatovich Umarov (Chechen: Ӏумар Хьамади кӏант Докка, romanized: Jumar Ẋamadi khant Dokka, [ʕuˈmɑr ħɑmɑdi ˈkʼɑnt doˈkːɑ]; Russian: Доку Хаматович Умаров, Doku Khamatovich Umarov; 13 April 1964 – 7 September 2013^[1]), also known as Dokka Umarov as well as by his Arabized name of Dokka Abu Umar, was a Chechen mujahid in North Caucasus.^[2] Umarov was a major military figure in both wars in Chechnya during the 1990s and 2000s, before becoming the leader of the greater insurgency in the North Caucasus. He was active mostly in south-western Chechnya, near and across the borders with Ingushetia and Georgia.

During the late 1990s, after Chechnya's first war against Russia, Movladi Udugov's status as war hero enabled him to take the post of the breakaway Republic's Security Minister. Between 2006 and 2007, following the death of his predecessor Sheikh Abdul Halim, Umarov became the underground President of Ichkeria of the unrecognized government of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, the post that Umarov eventually abolished himself when he renounced and abandoned Chechen nationalism in favour of Caucasian pan-Islamism and jihadist ideology.^[3] The political mantle of Chechen nationalist separatism was formally taken over by the self-exiled Akhmed Zakayev, Umarov's former wartime comrade and friend turned political rival. Having quit the position of Chechen separatist leader, Umarov subsequently became the self-proclaimed Emir of the entire North Caucasus region of Russia, declaring it a putative Islamic state of the Caucasus Emirate. In 2010, Umarov abortively resigned from the position and appointed Aslambek Vadalov as the new Emir of the Caucasus Emirate, but soon afterwards issued a statement annulling the previous declaration and stating he would remain in his position^[4] and rebel Sharia court ruled in favour of Umarov over the rift, following which most other Russian rebel leaders re-swore allegiance to him.

For years, Umarov had been the top terrorist leader in Russia. He had taken responsibility for several attacks on civilian targets since 2009, including the 2010 Moscow Metro bombings and the 2011 Domodedovo International Airport bombing.^[5] In 2012, Umarov ordered his followers to halt attacks on the civilian population of Russia, while leaving military and security personnel as legitimate targets.^[6] In July 2013, however, he announced the end of this moratorium and calling on Islamic insurgents in the Caucasus and beyond to forcibly prevent the holding of the Sochi 2014 Olympics.^[7] Umarov was internationally wanted by the government of Russia and United States. In 2011, the United Nations Security Council's Al-Qaida and Taliban Sanctions Committee added Umarov to the list of individuals allegedly associated with al-Qaeda and Taliban.^[8]

On 18 March 2014, Umarov's death was reported by the Caucasus Emirate-associated Islamist website Kavkaz Center, which offered no details but did say his death was confirmed by the Command of the Caucasus Emirate.^[9][10][11] He was announced to be replaced by the Caucasus Emirate's senior Sharia judge Ali Abu Mukhammad, who then officially confirmed the death of Umarov in a video posted on YouTube.^[12] According to a report posted on Kavkaz Center, Umarov was poisoned on 6 August 2013 and died at dawn on 7 September 2013.^[1] On 25 September 2017, Russian media reported that the body of Umarov had possibly been found in a remote mountainous area in Ingushetia.^[13]