Insurgency in the North Caucasus

Insurgency in the North Caucasus
Part of the Chechen–Russian conflict, post-Soviet conflicts and the War against the Islamic State (from 2014)
Russian President Dmitri Medvedev meets with FSB head Alexander Bortnikov in March 2009 to discuss the ending of the counter-terrorism operation in Chechnya.
Date 16 April 2009 – 19 December 2017[8] (8 years, 8 months and 3 days) Location Russia North Caucasian Federal District  Chechnya  Dagestan  Ingushetia  Kabardino-Balkaria  Karachay-Cherkessia  North Ossetia–Alania Result Russian victory Destruction of Caucasus Emirate Stabilization of the situation in the North Caucasus.[9] Evolves into the Islamic State insurgency in the North Caucasus
Belligerents
Russia List  Chechnya  Dagestan  Ingushetia  Kabardino-Balkaria  Karachay-Cherkessia  North Ossetia–Alania Kadyrovtsy Other loyalists	Caucasus Emirate (2009–17) List Vilayat Dagestan Vilayat Galgayche Vilayat Iriston (2009) Vilayat KBK (2009–17) Vilayat Nokhchicho Riyad-us Saliheen Brigade (2009–16) Arab Mujahideen (2009–12) Turkish Mujahideen (2009–17)[1][2][3][4] Imam Shamil Battalion (2017)[5] Islamic State Wilayat al-Qawqaz[6][7]
Commanders and leaders
Vladimir Putin (2012–17) Dmitry Medvedev (2009–12) Sergey Shoygu (2012–17) Anatoliy Serdyukov (2009–12) Valery Gerasimov (2012–17) Nikolai Makarov (2009–12) Oleg Salyukov (2014–17) Vladimir Chirkin (2012–14) Aleksandr Postnikov (2010–12) Vladimir Boldyrev (2009–10) Ramzan Kadyrov (2009–17) Vladimir Vasilyev (2017) Ramazan Abdulatipov (2013–17) Magomedsalam Magomedov (2010–13) Mukhu Aliyev (2009–10) Yunus-bek Yevkurov (2009–17) Yury Kokov (2013–17) Arsen Kanokov (2009–13) Rashid Temrezov (2011–17) Boris Ebzeyev (2009–11) Vyacheslav Bitarov (2016–17) Tamerlan Aguzarov (2015–16) Taymuraz Mamsurov (2009–15)	Dokka Umarov † Aslambek Vadalov Aliaskhab Kebekov † Magomed Suleimanov † Zalim Shebzukhov † Chechnya: Khuseyn Gakayev † Tarkhan Gaziyev (POW) Muhannad † Supyan Abdullayev † Abdulla Kurd † Dagestan: Umalat Magomedov † Magomed Vagabov † Israpil Velijanov † Ibragimkhalil Daudov † Said Kharakansky † Ingushetia: Ali Taziev (POW) Said Buryatsky † Dzhamaleyl Mutaliyev † Arthur Getagazhev † Kabardino-Balkaria: Anzor Astemirov † Asker Dzhappuyev † Alim Zankishiev † Rustam Asildarov † (Emir of IS in the North Caucasus) Aslan Byutukayev † (Commander of Riyad-us Saliheen Brigade of Martyrs)
Strength
Undisclosed 10 groups 16 groups 3 groups 5 groups none	~600 fighters (government claim, January 2013) ~40 operating groups in the North Caucasus:[citation needed]
Casualties and losses
1,139–1,170 killed[10] 2,313–2,677 wounded[11]	2,329 killed 2,744 captured[12]
632 civilians killed (2010–2017)[13]

The insurgency in the North Caucasus (Russian: Борьба с терроризмом на Северном Кавказе) was a low-level armed conflict between Russia and militants associated with the Caucasus Emirate and, from June 2015, the Islamic State, in the North Caucasus.^{[7][14][15][16]} It followed the official end of the decade-long Second Chechen War on 16 April 2009.^[17] It attracted volunteers from the MENA region, Western Europe, and Central Asia.^[18] The Russian legislation considers the Second Chechen War and the insurgency described in this article as the same "counter-terrorist operations on the territory of the North Caucasus region".^[19]

The insurgency became relatively dormant in its later years.^[15][16] During its peak, the violence was mostly concentrated in the North Caucasus republics of Chechnya, Dagestan, Ingushetia and Kabardino-Balkaria. Occasional incidents happened in surrounding regions, such as North Ossetia–Alania, Karachay-Cherkessia, Stavropol Krai, and Volgograd Oblast.

While the insurgency was officially declared over on 19 December 2017 when FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov announced the final elimination of the insurgent underground in the North Caucasus,^[20] counter-terrorism operations in the North Caucasus have not ended.^[19]