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United Vilayat of Kabarda, Balkaria and Karachay
North Caucasian jihadist organization / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The United Vilayat of Kabarda-Balkaria-Karachay (UVKBK, Russian: Объединенный вилайят Кабарды, Балкарии и Карачая), also known as Vilayat KBK, was a militant Islamist Jihadist organization connected to numerous attacks against the local and federal security forces in the Russian republics of Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia in the North Caucasus. Vilayet KBK has been a member of the Caucasus Emirate group since 2007.[10]
United Vilayat of Kabarda-Balkaria-Karachay | |
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![]() Flag of the Caucasus Emirate | |
Leaders |
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Dates of operation | July 2002[7] (official declaration of the anti-Russian jihad in August 2004) – 7 October 2007 (Under various names)) 7 October 2007 – 7 February 2017 (As United Vilayat of Kabarda-Balkaria-Karachay |
Active regions | Russian North Caucasus (Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay–Cherkessia) |
Size | The group's official cumulative total of 500 members in 2002–2007 (many less at any given time)[8] Russian official estimate of no more than 50 active fighters in 2010 (not including supporters)[9] |
Part of |
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Allies | Vilayat Dagestan Vilayat Galgayche Vilayat Nokhchicho |
Opponents | Russia Georgia United States |
Battles and wars | the Second Chechen War, Insurgency in the North Caucasus |
Preceded by
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The group drew most of its early members from the Balkars, a small ethnic minority in the republic.[11] However, their long-time leader between 2005 and 2010, Anzor Astemirov (Emir Sayfullah), was a Kabardin. Members come from other ethnic groups, including the Karachays and ethnic Russians. The group was named after the 7th-century Battle of Yarmouk.