Civil war in Ingushetia
Part of the Second Chechen War and North Caucasus Insurgency
Date July 2007 - present Location Ingushetia, Russia Result Conflict ongoing
Belligerents
Ingushetia loyalists Russian Federation	Ingush Jamaat Caucasian separatists Foreign Mujahideen
Commanders
Murat Zyazikov (2007-2008) Yunus-Bek Yevkurov (2008-present)	Ilyas Gorchkhanov☪ Akhmed Yevloyev
Casualties and losses
800 killed[1]

v • d • e Conflicts in the Former Soviet Union Nagorno-Karabakh – 1st South Ossetia – 1st Abkhazia – Georgia – North Ossetia – Transnistria – Tajikistan – 1st Chechnya – 2nd Abkhazia – Dagestan – 2nd Chechnya – Ingushetia – 2nd South Ossetia and Abkhazia – North Caucasus

The Civil war in Ingushetia began in 2007 when a low-level insurgency involving Muslim fighters imported from Chechnya escalated dramatically with a surge of attacks on security forces and civilians. Moscow's response has been heavy-handed, with reports that an extra 2,500 troops from outside Ingushetia were deployed in the republic. The conflict has been described as a civil war by several human rights organisations.^[1]

On July 26, 2007, a massive security operation was launched in Ingushetia, sparked by a series of attacks including an assassination attempt on President Murat Zyazikov.^[2] Moscow sent in an additional 2,500 MVD troops, almost tripling the number of special forces in Ingushetia.^[3] In the next few days hundreds of men have been rounded up in the sweeps, while several security officers were killed and wounded in the continued attacks.^[4] By October 2007, police and security forces in Ingushetia were issued orders to stop informing the media of any "incidents of a terrorist nature."^[5]

In 2008, Magomed Yevloyev, owner of the highly critical opposition website Ingushetia.ru was killed. The aftermath of the killing was marked by an upsurge in separatist activity and animosity towards Russia and Russians among the Ingush population. At the center of this controversy was President Zyazikov, who was criticized by both human rights groups and the Russian government.^[6] On October 30, 2008, Zyazikov asked for resignation and was dismissed from his position by Russian president Dmitry Medvedev. His dismissal and replacement with Yunus-bek Yevkurov was hailed by the Ingush opposition as a victory.

Russian officials say nearly 50 people died in Ingushetia in fighting with Islamist rebels between January and March 2009. According to police casualty figures, 27 rebels, 18 policemen and two civilians were killed, and 44 people injured, in gun and bomb attacks.^[7]

Assassinations and attempted assassinations of high-profile figures have continued. Ingush Interior Minister Musa Medov was targeted by a suicide bomber in October 2008.^[8][9] On 10 June 2009, the deputy chief justice of the Ingushetian Supreme Court, Aza Gazgireeva, was gunned down,^[10] and on 13 June the former deputy prime minister, Bashir Aushev, was shot dead outside his home.^[11] Finally, Ingush President Yevkurov was seriously wounded in a suicide bomb attack on 22 June.^[10]

Contents 1 Assassination attempt on President Yevkurov 2 2009 Nazran bombing 3 See also 4 References

[edit] Assassination attempt on President Yevkurov

On 22 June 2009, Yevkurov was seriously injured following a car-bomb attack on his motorcade in the city of Nazran at roughly 08:20 local time (04:20 GMT). In the incident, a four-wheel drive vehicle rammed the Presidential convoy in what is believed to be a suicide bomb attack.^[10] Reports indicated that at least two bodyguards were killed and several more wounded, with Yevkurov's brother Uvais among the injured.^[10] Yevkurov suffered a ruptured liver, a severe concussion, and several cracked ribs, but was expected to survive following surgery.^[12]

Though no group has yet claimed responsibility, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev accused Islamist militants of carrying out the attack, condemning the "terrorist attack".^[13] Speaking on Russian television, the President claimed that Yevkurov "did a lot to restore order ... and the bandits obviously didn't like that kind of activity".^[12] Russian news agency RIAN, quoting an unnamed Kremlin source, claimed that executive authority in Ingushetia has been temporarily transferred to the prime minister, Rashid Gaysanov. The source claimed that "President [Medvedev] authorized Gaysanov to take operative management of the republic, and he has all the required authority for that".^[14]

The attack followed other attacks on republic officials in June 2009. On 10 June, the deputy chief justice of the Ingushetian Supreme Court, Aza Gazgireeva, was gunned down,^[10] and on 13 June the former deputy prime minister, Bashir Aushev, was shot dead outside his home.^[11]

After the attack, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov claimed the Kremlin had ordered him to fight insurgents in Ingushetia, and during his subsequent visit to Ingushetia on June 24 pledged to revenge ruthlessly.^[15]

Security forces killed three rebels in a firefight after the militants opened fire during a traffic stop in Barsuki, Ingushetia. Upon identification of the bodies, one of the rebels was found to be Rustam Dzortov, who according to reports headed all the resistance operations in the republic and was one of the masterminds behind the assassination attempt on Yunus-bek Yevkurov in June.^[16]

[edit] 2009 Nazran bombing

[edit] See also

• North Caucasus Insurgency 2009

[edit] References