Dokka Umarov

Who is Dokka Umarov?

Doku Khamatovich Umarov is a Chechen Islamist militant in Russia. Umarov claimed responsibility for several attacks on Russian civilians, earning himself a media nickname of "Russia's Osama Bin Laden". On 3 February 2012, Umarov ordered his subordinates, in a video posted online, to halt attacks on the civilian population of Russia, while leaving military and security personnel as legitimate targets.

Between 2006 and 2007, Umarov was the underground President of the unrecognized Chechen Republic of Ichkeria. He subsequently became the self-proclaimed Emir of the Russian North Caucasus, declaring it an Islamic state of the Caucasus Emirate. He is currently wanted by Russia for the crimes of kidnapping, murder and treason. He is one of the major rebel leaders in Russia and has claimed responsibility for numerous attacks, including the 2010 Moscow Metro bombings and the 2011 Domodedovo International Airport bombing. The attacks killed 40 and 36 civilians respectively, and injured hundreds.

On 1 August 2010, Umarov resigned his position and appointed Aslambek Vadalov as the new Emir of the Caucasus Emirate. However, on 4 August, he issued a statement "annulling" the previous declaration and stating he would remain in his position. In July 2011, a rebel Sharia court ruled in favour of Umarov over the rift, following which the other rebels re-swore allegiance to him. On 10 March 2011, the United Nations Security Council Al-Qaida and Taliban Sanctions Committee added Umarov to the list of individuals allegedly associated with al-Qaeda.