Shebzukhov urges militants to return to "Imarat Kavkaz"

An audio record supposedly made by Zalim Shebzukhov, one of the leaders of North-Caucasian militants, has appeared on the Internet. The author condemned the passage of militants into the terrorist "Islamic State" (IS) and called the members of the underground to return to "Imarat Kavkaz", which is also banned in Russia. This record may be a refutation of power agents' data that Shebzukhov had sworn to the IS.

The audio appeal, allegedly made by Zalim Shebzukhov, the leader of Kabardino-Balkarian militants, who is on the wanted list, appeared on the YouTube on December 28, 2015.

An off-screen voice condemns the split among militants, fist of all, among those, who operate in Kabardino-Balkaria, and the oath taken by some underground fighters to the IS.

It is noteworthy that the Russian National Antiterrorism Committee (NAC) had announced Zalim Shebzukhov killed in a special operation on April 16, 2015, stating that he "had been preparing a series of terror acts" on May Day celebrations, and "recruited militants for warfare in Syria." Subsequently, the NAC refuted the information about Shebzukhov's death, explaining that not Shebzukhov was killed, but Zaur Prokopchuk. Besides, there was no evidence that Zalim Shebzukhov had sworn to the IS.

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