ISIS: a Threat to the Greater Caucasus

... these splits took place inside the region and occurred without interference from powerful external forces (even remotely matching the Islamic State). www.bustle.com Ekaterina Stepanova: North Caucasus — a Wall Against or a Bridge for IS? Traces of the Islamic State in Georgia and in Azerbaijan Georgia faces a certain degree of influence from the Islamic State as well. So, Abu Omar al-Shishani aka Abu Omar the Chechen, as he is often referred to in the Russian media, is very close to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. His real name is Tarkhan ...