One of the most shocking aspects of recent Chechen rebel suicide attacks has been that many of the perpetrators were women. Chechen women first appeared on the scene during the Moscow theatre siege Russian President Vladimir Putin says they have adopted the tactics of Middle Eastern terrorist organisations – and will be, in his words, “wiped out”. Yet Chechen women have traditionally not featured prominently as fighters in the conflict, and little research has been done into their motivations. The research that has been done shows a high degree of support for taking up arms. It also reveals the absolute desperation of many Chechen women’s lives. Women are the forgotten part of the Chechen war. Since the mid 1990s, when the conflict began, they have featured mainly as refugees. Specialists say nearly all Chechen women in the conflict areas are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorders Hundreds of thousands of Chechen women have fled their homeland and sought shelter in often dismal conditions in neighbouring regions. But now, there is the new reality of female Chechen suicide bombers. Full Story
About OODA Analyst
OODA is comprised of a unique team of international experts capable of providing advanced intelligence and analysis, strategy and planning support, risk and threat management, training, decision support, crisis response, and security services to global corporations and governments.