Aslan Byutukayev

Aslan Byutukayev
Commander of Vilayat Nokhchicho (Chechnya)
Commander of Riyad-us Saliheen Brigade of Martyrs
Personal details
Born	22 October 1974 Achkhoy-Martan Chechnya
Religion	Islam
Military service
Nickname(s)	Emir Khamzat Abubakar
Allegiance	Caucasus Emirate
Unit	Riyad-us Saliheen
Battles/wars	North Caucasus Insurgency

Aslan Byutukayev (Russian: Аслан Бютукаев) also known as Emir Khamzat and Abubakar is a Chechen insurgent commander in the Caucasus Emirate, the commander of the Riyad-us Saliheen Brigade of Martyrs and a close associate of the deceased Caucasus Emirate leader Dokku Umarov.^[1]

Until 2010 Emir Khamzat was a little-known field commander. In the summer of that year there was a dispute between Dokku Umarov and several commanders of the Chechen wing of the Caucasus Emirate - Tarkhan Gaziyev, Muhannad, Aslanbek Vadalov and Hussein Gakayev - that led to Byutukaev’s rapid promotion to commander of Chechnya’s Southwestern Front.^[2] He also succeeded the slain Said Buryatsky as leader of the Caucasus Emirate’s unit of suicide bombers, the Riyad-us Saliheen.^[3]

In January 2011 Byutukaev trained Magomed Yevloyev, the suicide bomber who carried out the bombing of Domodedovo International Airport in Moscow.^[4] Shortly before the bombing, Dokku Umarov, Byutukaev and Magomed Yevloyev filmed a video claiming responsibility for the attacks.^[3]

In March 2011 it was reported that Aslan Byutukaev had been killed in an airstrike by the Russian Air Force in Ingushetia, along with the deputy leader of the Caucasus Emirate, Supyan Abdullayev.^[5] However, while the rebels confirmed the death of Abdulayev, the death of Byutukaev was denied.^[5]

On June 2011 in a video released on the internet, a silent Byutukaev appeared at the side of Dokku Umarov as the latter claimed responsibility for the assassination of Yuri Budanov, a former Russian Colonel who kidnapped, murdered and allegedly raped an 18-year-old Chechen girl.^[6]

In July 2011 at a meeting of the Caucasus Emirate’s Sharia Court, Umarov appointed Byutukaev his deputy in the newly created Western Sector of Vilayat Nokhchicho.^[1][7]

In May 2014, Byutukayev appeared in a video with a large number of field commanders of the Vilayat Nokhchicho, giving an oath of allegiance to the new head of the Caucauus Emirate, Ali Abu Mukhammad, who succeeded Dokka Umarov.^[8]

Toward the end of 2014 the Caucasus Emirate has become more active in their insurgent activities. On 5 October 2014 a suicide bombing near the Grozny city hall took place. Five Russian police officers were killed, the suicide bomber was also killed, 12 other people were wounded. The Caucasus Emirate took credit for the attack.^[9] Byutukayev took responsibility for the 2014 Grozny clashes during which 14 Russian policemen were killed and 35 total people were wounded. The attack was one of the largest since the December 2013 Volgograd bombings, which were also carried out by the Caucasus Emirate.^[10]

References