Waynakh Online sources have reported that 11 members of the Chechen National Liberation Movement, including its leader Khuseyn Gakayev, became shaheed (inshaAllah) after an uneven battle with Russian invaders and their local collaborators.

According to the information, for about a week, harsh battles were fought between the Chechen National Liberation Movement and Russian invaders in the Vedeno and Shali districts of the Russian occupied Chechen Republic of Ichkeria. On the morning of January 23, members of the Chechen National Liberation Movement collided with a large number of invaders near the village of Elistanji in the Vedeno district. During the battle, Russian military forces and their armed local collaborators were supported by aircraft and artillery attacks; however, the members of the Chechen National Liberation Movement still managed to inflict large causalities, with at least 12 Russian soldiers and their local collaborators killed and more than 35 injured. After hours of battle, a group of the Chechen National Liberation Movement became shaheed (inshaAllah) on January 24. On their last radio transmission, they repeated their willingness to die on the right path for their nation. The names of our shaheeds (inshaAllah) from this battle are (from Shali) Khuseyn Gakayev, Muslim Gakayev, Abu Supyan Dzhabrailov, Isa Vagapov, Akhmed Labazanov, Umar Dadayev, Sidik Abazov, Ruslan Suleymanov, Aburayk Yusuphadzhiyev; (from Grozny) Ibragim Saidkhasanov and (from Dagestan) Vakha Murad Bakayev.

The Gakayev brothers, Khuseyn and Muslim, are well-known in the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria as well as outside of the country. Moreover, both the Russian invaders and their local collaborators feared them. The Gakayev brothers belonged to a family which has sacrificed their lives for our homeland. Khuseyn and Muslim were among six brothers and three sisters. Their two eldest brothers, Dzhamalay and Said-Usman Gakayev became shaheed (inshaAllah) in the first Russian-Chechen war from 1994-1996; two of their other brothers, Khasan and Rizvan Gakayev became shaheed (inshaAllah) in the early 2000s while defending the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria against the Russian military occupation. Two of their sisters died after Russian bombs hit their homes as many of Chechen civilians; and their little sister was kidnapped by Russian soldiers in 2006.

Recall that the Chechen people’s united liberation movement didn’t start with the Gakayev brothers. There is no doubt that their departure is a big loss for the Chechen National Liberation Movement and Chechen nation, but it doesn’t mean the end. Our legitimate and rightful defense and our struggle to liberate our homeland from the Russian colonialists will continue restlessly. The Chechen National Liberation Movement has thousands of young fighters in its arms and after Khuseyn Gakayev, they will have a new leader in a short time. It is expected that it will be the experienced Chechen commander, Tarkhan Gaziyev.

May Allah accept our dear brave brothers’ martyrdom and grant them a place among the shuhada at the highest position in paradise.

Allaha gazot doyla shu. Sha satiysinchu xusame khochiyla i. Gergarcharna imantsa sobar doyla, shuna xkhalxarx shafaat doyla!

Waynakh Online

*Text was written by Waynakh Online and edited by Michael Capobianco