Emir Tarkhan

Tarkhan Ismailovich Gaziyev (; born 11 November 1965), also known as Emir Tarkhan, is a Chechen militant commander who has fought in the Insurgency in the North Caucasus. The United States Department of State added Gaziyev to its list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists on 29 September 2015.

Rebel activity Gaziyev was born on 11 November 1965 in the small village of Pozh-Poroy in the mountainous Itum-Kale district of the former Chechen–Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic.

Gaziyev was named commander of the Southwest Front of the Armed Forces of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria by rebel leader Dokka Umarov on 24 September 2006, Following the formation of the Caucasus Emirate in the fall of 2007, the entity was renamed "Raisa Mukhabarat" (security service), and Gaziyev retained his post; however, Umarov revoked Gaziyev's title following a summer 2010 leadership dispute. of their titles and appointments. Gaziyev would also define the goals of the Chechen nationalists as "cleansing our country of the enemies of Allah, establishing Sharia law to defend the poor and disadvantaged, and bringing up our future generation in the Muslim faith." Among them were Gakayev and Vadalov, but apparently not Gaziyev. Following the month-long court proceedings, Umarov re-appointed Gakayev his naib (deputy) in the eastern sector of Chechnya, while Vadalov and "a number" of Chechen field commanders who had earlier renounced their bayat (allegiance) instead renewed their loyalty to Umarov.

On 23 April 2012, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty speculated that the most logical reason for Gazyiev's absence from the meeting was that his fighters staged 14 or 15 attacks in the uplands southwest of Grozny between mid-April and late-June 2011.

Gazyiev gave an interview with the Chechen service of Radio Liberty in mid 2014, where he confirmed rumours that he had left Chechnya; however, he expressed a desire to return to Chechnya's mountains.

In October 2016, Gaziyev was reportedly arrested in Turkey.

Gaziyev has a group of Chechens in Syria loyal to him, known as "Tarkhan's Jamaat" or "Katiba Abd Ar-Rahman", who have been in Syria since 2013 and have fought alongside Muslim Shishani in Hama Governorate. They have also fought independently in Kessab, Latakia Governorate in 2014.