Russia’s ‘Middle East’: the escalation of religious conflicts in the Northern Caucasus
Russia’s ‘Middle East’: the escalation of religious conflicts in the Northern Caucasus
Author(s): Maciej Falkowski
Subject(s): Governance, International relations/trade, Developing nations, Geopolitics
Published by: OSW Ośrodek Studiów Wschodnich im. Marka Karpia
Keywords: Northern Caucasus; Dagestan; Chechnya; Ingushetia; Middle East
Summary/Abstract: The eastern part of the Northern Caucasus (Dagestan, Chechnya and Ingushetia) is becoming an increasingly distinct region in cultural, civilisational and social terms when compared to the rest of the Russian Federation. The situation on the ground there bears greater resemblance to the Middle East than to Russia: Islam is the key factor organising socio-political life, and conflicts inside the Muslim community, often involving bloodshed, are the driving power of developments in the region. The conflict is between the two main branches of Islam in the Northern Caucasus: Sufism linked to the official clergy and government, and Salafism which is gaining more and more supporters among young people in the Caucasus. Tension, including clashes over mosques, attacks, mass detentions, etc. has been observed mainly in Dagestan and Ingushetia.
Series: OSW Commentary
- Page Count: 8
- Publication Year: 2016
- Language: English
- Content File-PDF
