Murder in Nazran recalls strained relations of Sheikh Belkhoroev's family with Ingush leader

The murder of Ibragim Belkharoev was committed at the background of the absence of any conflicts of the Batal-Haji Belkhoroev wird (clan, or brotherhood) with other wirds, said a member of the Batal-Haji's wird. Ibragim Belkharoev enjoyed respect among residents of Ingushetia and Chechnya, but members of the wird had "strained relations," with the authorities of Ingushetia, residents of the republic believe.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Ibragim Belkharoev, a great-grandson of Sheikh Batal-Haji Belkhoroev, was killed at night on December 31, 2018 in Nazran. Social network users noted that he had been close to the authorities of Chechnya.

Umar, a member of the Sheikh Batal-Haji's wird, has called an attempt to "split the situation in the republic" or "make harm" to the wird as possible aims of the murder.

Social network users stick to the opinion that Ibragim's murder was committed with the aim of introducing discord among Muslims, or sowing "inter-wird" discord.

Ibragim Belkharoev had influence among residents of Ingushetia and Chechnya, said Magomed Mutsolgov, the head of the human rights NGO "Mashr". "His ties with Ramzan Kadyrov emphasized his independence in actions," he has noted, assuming that the customers of the murder tried to undermine the authority of the Belkharoevs.

Members of the Belkharoev family can oppose the authorities and defend their positions, Zima Bachalova-Sautieva, an advocate, has confirmed, emphasizing that Ibragim Belkharoev was firm in his religious beliefs. "He said that the movement calling to kill a person in the struggle for the faith is not Islam," she said.