The Chechnya-based Islamic International Brigade invades neighboring Dagestan.
The Islamic International Peacekeeping Brigade (Russian: ; abbreviated IIPB), also known as the Islamic International Brigade, the Islamic Peacekeeping Army, was the name of an international Islamist mujahideen organization, founded in 1998. IIPB was designated a terrorist entity by the United States in February 2003.
Chechnya (Russian: Чечня́, romanized: Chechnyá; Chechen: Нохчийчоь, romanized: Noxçiyçö), officially the Chechen Republic, is a republic of Russia. It is situated in the North Caucasus of Eastern Europe, close to the Caspian Sea. The republic forms a part of the North Caucasian Federal District, and shares land borders with the country of Georgia to its south; with the Russian republics of Dagestan, Ingushetia, and North Ossetia-Alania to its east, north, and west; and with Stavropol Krai to its northwest.
After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Checheno-Ingush ASSR split into two parts: the Republic of Ingushetia and the Chechen Republic. The latter proclaimed the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, which sought independence. Following the First Chechen War of 1994–1996 with Russia, Chechnya gained de facto independence as the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, although de jure it remained a part of Russia. Russian federal control was restored in the Second Chechen War of 1999–2009 and a systematic reconstruction and rebuilding process across the republic took place under Akhmad Kadyrov, and later his son Ramzan Kadyrov.The republic covers an area of 17,300 square kilometres (6,700 square miles), with a population of over 1.4 million residents as of 2020.
It is home to the indigenous Chechens, part of the Nakh peoples, and of primarily Muslim faith. Grozny is the capital and largest city.