Vestnik Kavkaza reported earlier that the Kazakh Prosecutor General’s Office lays responsibility for blasts at Atyrau district center on the Soldiers of the Caliphate group, which took responsibility for the attacks. Members of the group are believed to be followers of Said Buryatsky, a Russian extremist killed in Ingushetia, famous for video speeches.
Andrey Chebotarev, Director of the Center for Topical Research, told Vestnik Kavkaza that involvement of Kazakh citizens in the group is the reason for recognition of the Soldiers of the Caliphate. The group’s location is unknown. They may be in Afghanistan or in Kazakhstan. The expert does not know whether the group has links with militants of the North Caucasus.
The political analyst says that recognition of the resistance group has not been followed by serious reaction from the authorities.
Clashes with extremists have been happening in Kazakhstan since spring 2011. Stress is laid on use of force. There is high risk for further terrorist acts and extremism, the expert concluded.
