MESOP : The “Crimean Jamaat” in Syria / By Joanna Paraszczuk

What We Know (& What We Don’t) A few weeks ago, I came across a strange photograph of a group of Russianspeaking militants in Syria, who were holding a sign claiming that they were the “Taliban Fi Bilad a-Sham.” So what is this group? The Crimean Jamaat Some more investigations revealed that the group is calling itself the “Крымский Джамаат” (the “Krymsky Jamaat” i.e. the “Crimean Jamaat”).

There is already a Crimean Jamaat within the Chechen-led faction Jaish al- 28.3.2015 The “Crimean Jamaat” — What We Know (& What We Don’t) | From Chechnya To Syria http://www.chechensinsyria.com/?p=23541#more­23541 2/8  Muhajireen wal-Ansar (JMA), which is also known as Imarat Kavkaz v Shame (the Caucasus Emirate in Syria).

That group was apparently led by JMA’s most prominent Crimean Tatar militant, Abdul Karim Krymsky. Yet Krymky is notably absent from the photographs and video I found of the Crimean Jamaat (CJ) aka Taliban fi Bilad a-Sham. Here are the few facts I have gleaned about the Crimean Jamaat. I will of course update as more information is uncovered: — The group is separate from JMA. It is not known whether the faction has sworn an oath of allegiance to the Taliban or whether it has simply given itself that name, or whether only some of its members are or consider themselves the “Taliban fi Bilad a-Sham.” The main question that this raises is: if the group split off from JMA and considers itself “the Taliban in Syria” does that imply a dispute over allegiance to the Caucasus Emirate and its leader Ali Abu Mukhammad? —

At least one of the group was previously with JMA, though it is not known whether the entire group split off from JMA and if so why. The group’s Emir/ leader (second from the left in the screen grab from the group’s video below) has previously been photographed fighting alongside JMA in Aleppo province. Abdullah Tajik’s social media profiles includes photos of trophies taken at alMallah, where JMA has been/is fighting, though it is not clear if the photos indicate that the Crimean Jamaat fought at al-Mallah or are just praising the victories there. Here are some photographs of the Emir taken recently when he was already in the Crimean Jamaat: 28.3.2015 The “Crimean Jamaat” — What We Know (& What We Don’t) | From Chechnya To Syria http://www.chechensinsyria.com/?p=23541#more­23541 3/8 And here are some photographs of the Crimean Jamaat emir when he was still in JMA. The photographs were taken during JMA’s involvement in the fighting at Leramon in Aleppo Province in around August 2014. 28.3.2015 The “Crimean Jamaat” — What We Know (& What We Don’t) |

Click for pics http://www.chechensinsyria.com/?p=23541#more-23541