Aslambek Vadalov

Aslambek Vadalov

2nd Emir of the Caucasus Emirate
In office August 1, 2010 – August 3–13, 2010 (disputed)
Preceded by	Doku Umarov
Succeeded by	Doku Umarov
Personal details
Born	1972^[1] Ishkoy-Yurt, Gudermes^[1] Chechen–Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union^[2]
Nationality	Russia
Religion	Sunni Islam
Military service
Allegiance	Arab Mujahideen in Chechnya^[2] Caucasus Emirate^[3]
Commands	Commander of the Gudermes Region Deputy Commander of the Eastern Front
Battles/wars	First Chechen War Second Chechen War North Caucasus Insurgency

Aslambek Ilimsultanovich Vadalov (Russian: Асламбек Илимсултанович Вадалов), also known by his nom de guerre Emir Aslambek, is a Chechen rebel leader fighting in the North Caucasus.^[4] He was appointed the supreme leader of the Caucasus Emirate on 1 August 2010, though this was later retracted.^[3]

Early life

Aslambek Vadalov was born in 1972 and is a native of Ishkoy-Yurt, a village in the eastern portion of Chechnya's Gudermes. Vadalov also seems to have spent much of his youth in the Gudermes region, though some reports have suggested that he studied for a short period of time in Moscow in the late 1980s, perhaps at a technical institute.

Chechen War and rebel army

Following the outbreak of the First Chechen War in 1994, Vadalov joined the separatist fighters from Gudermes; he may have served in the unit of Sheik Fathi, a Chechen who had lived in Jordan and engaged in Islamist conflicts in Afghanistan and Tajikistan. It has been postulated that if Vadalov did indeed serve alongside Fathi, it would indicate a very early exposure to the Islamist interpretation of the war in Chechnya.

Though Vadalov played no role in the 1999 Dagestan incursion led by Shamil Basayev and Ibn al-Khattab, following Russia's re-invasion of Chechnya that autumn he joined Khattab's Arab Mujahideen in Chechnya. After engaging in the battles for Argun and Gudermes, Vadalov's unit withdrew to the mountainous districts of Vedeno and Nozhay-Yurt in order to launch guerrilla attacks on Russian security forces.

In 2000, Vadalov returned to Ishkoy-Yurt for unknown reasons and joined a small, local guerrilla force; the unit operated both independently and in cooperation with other rebel formations, including taking part in the 17 September 2001 attack on Gudermes. The next few years saw the separatist movement incur significant losses, but Vadalov was able to distinguish himself mainly due to his survival skills. As such, he was named Deputy Commander of the Gudermes Region of the Chechen Armed Forces under Emir Askhab. Although this unit that he commanded lacked manpower, his team and him were able to launch numerous small but significant attacks against the Russian security forces, especially around Ishkoy-Yurt.

Following Emir Askhab's death in early 2005, Vadalov was named Commander of the Gudermes region. However, while a capable small-unit commander, Vadalov struggled when in control of a larger fighting force that required a broader strategic perspective. His unit was eventually driven out of Gudermes proper and forced back into the highlands of Vedeno and Nozhay-Yurt. Despite these setbacks, he still maintained a reputation for "commitment to the cause and hard-fought guerrilla operations."^[2] He has been fighting with the Caucasus Emirate rebels against Russian forces since 1994 and was apparently one of the first to swear allegiance to Doku Umarov in 2007. Caucasus Emirate was formed 2007.^[5] He was fighting for independent Chechnya until 2007.

His relationship with Amir Khattab is of significance. Previously he was the commander of the Eastern Front of the Armed Forces of the Caucasus Emirate, although in practice he was commanding a force of perhaps about 30-50 militants on the Ingushetian border.^[6]

Ideology

Akhmed Zakayev said Vadalov had been announced as the new Emir of the Caucasus Emirate because of a "loss of confidence among his (Umarov's) subordinates. [The] Methods of Dokku Umarov, including attacks against civilians, were not supported by militants." He also said that Vadalov "is a supporter of other views and is not affected by ideologists of Wahhabism." The Russian paper Kommersant had reported that Zakayev, sentenced to death by the Sharia Court of the Caucasus Emirate, had plans to establish contacts with Vadalov.^[7]

Appointment as "Emir of the Caucasus Emirate"

On 1 August 2010 the "state web site" of the Caucasus Emirate, Kavkaz Center reported that Doku Umarov had stepped down from his position as Emir of the Caucasus Emirate and appointed Vadalov to become his successor.^[8]^[9] On the video containing the announcement Umarov states that "jihad should be led by younger and more energetic commanders."^[9] However, when the Kavkaz Center site was restored on-line after a "service break" on 3 August 2010,^[10] the original announcement had been replaced by one which stated, that Umarov only "proposed to appoint" Vadalov his successor. A few days later Umarov said he had no intention of stepping down and called the video announcing his resignation a fabrication.^[10]^[11]

On August 13, 2010 Kavkaz Center announced that Aslambek Vadalov had resigned from his post of Deputy Military Emir of the Caucasus Emirate.

Rift with Umarov

Days after Umarov rescinded his resignation, Vadalov was said to have renounced adherence of an oath given to Umarov; however it was said that while he ceases subordination to Umarov, he would remain loyal to the larger Caucasus Emirate.

In July 2011, a sharia court ruled in favour of Umarov to close the rift caused by Umarov's reorganisation of the armed forces of Chechnya, the disbanding the so-called "eastern and south-western fronts" and dividing Chechnya into "military sectors." The court asked the rebels to re-swear allegiance to Umarov. Amir Khamzat, the commander of the Riyad-us Saliheen Brigade of Martyrs or the organisation's suicide battalion who has been named the commander of the western sector. Hussein Gakayev, who had been named to lead the eastern sector, Aslambek Vadalov and Tarkhan Gaziev consequently followed suit and re-affirmed their allegiance to Umarov.^[12]

References

1 2 ""Palace Coup" Reveals Split between Umarov and Rebel Commander Aslanbek Vadalov". Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 7 Issue: 152. 6 August 2010. Retrieved 23 June 2011.
1 2 3 "Who is Aslambek Vadalov?". In Moscow's Shadows. 2 August 2010. Retrieved 28 July 2011.
1 2 "Some Chechen Commanders Reaffirm Loyalty To Umarov". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: Caucasus Report. 26 July 2011. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
↑ Mairbek Vatchagaev (August 6, 2010). ""Palace Coup" Reveals Split between Umarov and Rebel Commander Aslanbek Vadalov". Eurasia Daily Monitor 7 (152).
↑ Caucasus Emirate
↑ globaljihad.net/view_news.asp?id=1589
↑ "Ахмед Закаев связал уход Умарова с потерей доверия боевиков". lenta.ru. August 3, 2010.
↑ "Chechen rebel leader 'steps down'". Aljazeera.net. August 2, 2010. Retrieved 7 August 2010.
1 2 Aslambek Vadalov - Emir of the Caucasus Emirate. YouTube: Kavkaz Center. August 1, 2010. Retrieved 3 August 2010.
1 2 Bill Roggio (August 4, 2010). "Caucasus Emirate leader Doku Umarov retracts resignation". The Long War Journal.
↑ "Chechen rebel chief denies quitting". Aljazeera.net. August 4, 2010. Retrieved 7 August 2010.
↑ "Internal divisions resolved, claims Caucasus Emirate". The Long War Journal. Retrieved 20 May 2015.

Leaders of Chechnya since 1991

Chechen Republic	Salambek Khadzhiyev Doku Zavgayev Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev Akhmad Kadyrov Sergey Abramov Alu Alkhanov Ramzan Kadyrov

Chechen Republic of Ichkeria	Dzhokhar Dudayev Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev Aslan Maskhadov Abdul-Halim Sadulayev Dokka Umarov Akhmed Zakayev

Caucasus Emirate	Dokka Umarov Aslambek Vadalov (disputed) Khuseyn Gakayev (disputed) Aliaskhab Kebekov Magomed Suleymanov

Acting officeholders shown in italics.

Chechen–Russian conflict

Key events	Conflict	Federalists	Separatists	Mujahideen

Wars First Chechen War War of Dagestan Second Chechen War War in Ingushetia First Chechen War (1994–96) 1994 Grozny battle 1994 Khankala battle 1994–95 Grozny battle 1996 Shatoy ambush 1996 Grozny battle 1996 Khasavyurt accord Second Chechen War (1999–2009) 1999 Chechnya bombing 1999–2000 Grozny battle 2000 Height 776 battle 2000 Komsomolskoye battle 2000 Zhani ambush 2002 Khankala Mi-26 crash 2004 Nazran raid 2004 Grozny raid 2005 Nalchik raid Counter-insurgency operations Guerrilla phase Insurgency (2009–present) Insurgency in the North Caucasus	Major attacks 1995 Budyonnovsk hostage crisis 1996 Black Sea hostage crisis 1996 Kizlyar hostage crisis 1999 Apartment bombings 2002 Moscow hostage crisis 2002 Grozny truck bombing 2004 Aircraft bombings 2004 Beslan school siege Related topics Censorship of Chechnya coverage Crimes and terrorism Mass graves Suicide attacks Assassinations Casualties (Second Chechen War) Aircraft losses International response Politics of Chechnya Chechenpress Kavkaz Center In culture Alexandra Angel of Grozny Ant in a Glass Jar Polina Zherebtsova's Journal The 3 Rooms of Melancholia The Pathologies The Search War	Combatants Russian Federation Armed Forces Ground Forces Ministry of Internal Affairs OMON ODON Internal Troops Federal Security Service Main Intelligence Directorate Special Forces (Spetsnaz) Republic of Chechnya Militia (Kadyrovtsy) Leaders Russian Federation Boris Yeltsin Dmitry Medvedev Vladimir Putin Chechnya † Akhmad Kadyrov Alu Alkhanov Ramzan Kadyrov † Dzhabrail Yamadayev † Ruslan Yamadayev † Sulim Yamadayev	Combatants Ichkeria Caucasian Front Leaders † Dzhokhar Dudayev † Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev † Aslan Maskhadov † Abdul-Halim Sadulayev † Ruslan Gelayev † Shamil Basayev † Arbi Barayev † Salman Raduyev Akhmed Zakayev † Turpal-Ali Atgeriyev † Vakha Arsanov Ilyas Akhmadov † Movsar Barayev † Muslim Atayev † Rasul Makasharipov † Ilias Gorchkhanov † Rappani Khalilov	Combatants Caucasus Emirate Arab Mujahideen Islamic International Brigade Riyad-us Saliheen Wilayah al-Qawqaz Leaders † Magomed Suleimanov † Aliaskhab Kebekov † Dokka Umarov Aslambek Vadalov (POW) Ali Taziev † Anzor Astemirov † Supyan Abdullayev Aslan Byutukayev Movladi Udugov † Khuseyn Gakayev Tarkhan Gaziyev † Said Buryatsky † Magomed Vagabov Rustam Asildarov † Asker Dzhappuyev † Arthur Getagazhev † Ibn al-Khattab † Abu al-Walid † Abu Hafs al-Urduni † Muhannad † Abdulla Kurd

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