Aslambek Vadalov is main candidate to head "Imarat Kavkaz"

Out of the remaining influential militants in Northern Caucasus, Zalim Shebzukhov, the head of the Vilayat of Kabarda, Balkaria and Karachay, and Aslambek Vadalov, the head of the Vilayat Nokhchicho (Ichkeria), stand out, said the experts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot". They believe that Vadalov has much higher chances to lead the "Imarat Kavkaz" (IK), recognized in Russia as a terrorist organization.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Magomed Suleimanov, the head of the IK, was killed during a special operation, conducted since August 10 in the Untsukul District of Dagestan.

In the opinion of Akhmet Yarlykapov, a senior researcher of the Centre for Ethno-Political Studies at the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), both Shebzukhov and Vadalov are the main candidates to the post after the murder of Suleimanov. Neither of them supported the oath of North-Caucasian militants to the IS, recognized as a terrorist organization in Russia; and both of them are rather well-known personalities.

Yarlykapov believes that Vadalov is a more probable contender for the post of the IK head than Shebzukhov.

"Being a Kabardian, Shebzukhov is poorly known in the east of Northern Caucasus and the whole life of the IK is concentrated in Dagestan, Chechnya and Ingushetia," said the expert.

A person from the east of the region should come in place of Suleimanov, agrees Mikhail Roschin, a senior fellow at the Centre for Studying Central Asia, Caucasus and Volga-Urals Region of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the RAS. He also does not rule out that Aslambek Vadalov will become the new leader.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.