The Chechen Imbroglio: An Update

The August 30 suicide attack in Chechnya's capital Grozny was not a one off incident of terrorism; in fact terror attacks in Russia involving Chechens and other militant Islamist groups have increased in recent years following a brief interregnum during 2005-2007. These acts of terrorism have underscored the threat posed by Islamists, for whom Chechnya has become the rallying point to propagate the idea of a Caucasus Emirate and which has started to find resonance in other north Caucasian Muslim republics like Dagestan and Kabardino-Balkaria. Chechen separatism has been wreaking havoc on Russia and it is not going to be cowed down easily. Russia needs to look beyond military measures to address the Chechen issue.

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