Kazakh Jihadi Group Jund Al-Khilafa ('Soldiers of the Caliphate') – Which Recently Claimed To Have Attacked U.S. Base In Afghanistan – October-December 2011: Reports From the MEMRI JTTM

On December 20, 2011, the Kazakh group Jund Al-Khilafa released a video of what it claimed was an attack that it carried out against a U.S. military base in Afghanistan. The video showed members of the group, with their faces obscured, walking through a mountainous area and then firing several rockets at the alleged base. It should be noted that this is the first time Jund Al-Khilafa has been reported to be operating in Afghanistan.[1]

The jihadi group Jund Al-Khilafa ("Soldiers of the Caliphate") became known after claiming responsibility for two explosions that occurred in Atyrau, Kazakhstan, on October 31, 2011. According to the district attorney of Atyrau, Kazakhstan, Jund Al-Khilafa was founded in the summer of 2011 by three Kazakh citizens, led by Renat Khabibulla, who are currently hiding in Pakistan's tribal areas and fighting alongside international terrorists.[2]

It should be noted that in January 2010, the Salafi-jihadi website Minbar Al-Tawhid Wal Jihad published a fatwa regarding jihad in Kazakhstan in response to a query submitted by someone using the handle "Kazakhi." The cleric who issued the fatwa, on behalf of the website's shari'a council, said that attacking police forces in Kazakhstan who were "harassing Muslims" was considered defensive jihad and therefore permissible.[3]

In a November 9, 2011 interview with a jihadi forum, a man identified as Rawel Kusanyov, commander of the Al-Zaher Baibars Company, an operational unit of Jund Al-Khilafa Brigade, was careful not to identify his group with any ideological tendency. He denied that the group is exclusively Wahhabi, in an attempt to avoid alienating the general Muslim public. He said that actions such as those by Kazakhi President Nazarbaiev, e.g. forbidding the hijab and prayer in national institutions, render one an infidel; thus, there is an indication that Jund Al-Khilafa is at least loosely aligned with the global jihad movement. Kusanyov went on to promise that "if the [Kazakh] government does not stop its evil, we are completely prepared to step up the attacks on it, and, as we promised, they will, Allah willing, be devastating attacks that will shake its foundations…" [4]

The following is the interview, followed by a summary of Jund Al-Khilafa's recent activity, from the MEMRI Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor.

Interview With Jund Al-Khilafa Commander

"Q: Can you tell us some more about the Jund Al-Khilafa Brigade?"

"A: Jund Al-Khilafa is a group of mujahideen of different nationalities who were brought together by the wish to work together to support the Muslims and repel injustices against them everywhere. Their goal is to strengthen Islam and break the spirit of the oppressors – the rulers and the infidel powers that are occupying the Muslims' lands. The Brigade comprises several companies, most of which operate in Afghanistan and in other places in the world. They [operate according to] a charter that has not yet been publicized but will be released soon, Allah willing. It follows the model of secret organizations in not exposing its executive structure and commanders."

"Q: Is it true that Jund Al-Khilafa is a sectarian organization that includes only members of the Wahhabi sect, as is claimed?"

"A: This claim is spread by the government in order to create a rift between our da'wa [our calling] and the general population. We openly call to revive Islam and implement it, [but] we don't impose a specific sectarian stance on the people. In Jund Al-Khilafa, there are those who belong to the school of Abu Hanifa [the Hanafi school], those who follow the Imam Maled [the Maleki school], Hanbalis, Salafis, and others. We respect all the schools and honor all the scholars, and we don't espouse any reservations towards them, from the Imam Abu Hanifa to Sheikh [Muhammad] Ibn 'Abd Al-Wahhab, may Allah have mercy on all of them."

"Q: Why did you name it Jund Al-Khilafa, at a time when the Caliphate is a relatively distant goal?"

"A: This name reminds the Muslims of their duties in reviving the Islamic caliphate as a ruling system, whose foundations were laid by the Prophet and the Companions after him. It is the legitimate ruling system that must reign over all the lands of the Muslims from East to West. This name also gives us optimism that we will be part of the army of the Muslims under the rightly-guided Caliphate someday... We believe that the area of central Asia, in addition to North Africa and Yemen, are the potential nucleus for the establishment of the Caliphate in the future..."

"Q: Who is the emir of Jund Al-Khilafa?"

"A: I am not authorized to reveal this matter, in addition to which I myself don't have the answer to that question."

"Q: Why did you choose the name 'Al-Zahir Baibars' for your company? What kind of operations do you conduct? Are you interested only in the Kazakh issue?"

"A: The name of the commander, the mujahid Al-Zaher Baibars, was chosen for his superior ability to command the battles against the Tatars... and for his great grace toward the Kazakhi people, to whom he contributed by converting [them] to Islam... Add to that the fact that his ethnic origins are in the same area of Western Kazakhstan, which emphasizes the depth of the connection between the Kazakhis and Islam and jihad...

"Over 90% of our company is from Kazakhstan. We have some military activities on the battle lines in Afghanistan in cooperation with the other companies [in the Jund Al-Khilafa Brigade]. We also focus on building up our brothers militarily, religiously, ideologically, and politically so they can attain the proper level in combat.

"At the same time, we put a great focus on what goes on in Kazakhstan, to which we dedicate a considerable amount of our resources, seeing that it is one of our top priorities, ever since the dangerous initiatives of the Nazarbayev government..."

"Q: What do you mean by 'dangerous initiatives'?"

"A: I meant the arrests of those who call to Islam... Add to that that prisoners innocent of any crime are tortured to death and killed... Nazarbayev did not make do with that, but he also turned to laying down oppressive laws that infringe on the Muslims' rights to adhere to their religion, and he prohibited prayer and the hijab."

"Q: The law you are referring to does not prohibit prayer or the hijab, it only prohibits them in the state institutions. Why do you say it does?"

"A: I say to you that this move constitutes a clear prohibition of these two religious obligations, since most of the people have some connections, whether they want to or not, with the state institutions, such as the schools, universities, and local authorities. If the state prevents these people from exercising their religious obligations, it has indeed done what we pointed out. Even if one prayer has been prevented, or if prayer is prohibited even in one place, it is considered an [unacceptable] prohibition. This is universally recognized as an act of unbelief that removes the person who does it from the Islamic community."

"Q: Some people say that Jund Al-Khilafa is [working as] part of other groups that operate in central Asia. Is this true?"

"A: No, this is false. We operate completely independently..."

"Q: In your latest communiqué, you swore to the government that you will spill rivers of blood if it does not meet your demands. Are you still firm in your resolve?"

"A: Yes. No doubt. If the government does not stop its evil, we are completely prepared to step up the attacks on it, and, as we promised, they will, Allah willing, be devastating attacks that will shake its foundations..."

December 20, 2011: Jund Al-Khilafa Releases Video Purportedly Showing Attack on U.S. Base in Afghanistan

On December 20, 2011, Jund Al-Khilafa released a video of what it claimed was an attack that it carried out against a U.S. military base in Afghanistan. The video, 5:36 in duration, shows members of the group with faces blurred, walking through a mountainous area and then firing several rockets at the alleged base.

It should be noted that this is the first time Jund Al-Khilafa has been reported operating in Afghanistan. In recent months, the group has issued threats against the Kazakh government, condemning it for anti-Islamic legislation and accusing it of tyranny, and carried out a number of attacks on government targets in Kazakhstan.

This attack, if the group's claims are accurate, is Jund Al-Khilafa's first against an American target, and would seem to be an attempt to boost its jihadi credentials. [5]

December 17, 2011: In New Video, Jund Al-Khilafa Calls to Topple Kazakh President

Following violent clashes on December 16, 2011 in the Western Kazakh town of Zhanaozen between Kazakh government forces and striking oil workers, which left 11 dead, Jund Al-Khilafa released a new video condemning the Kazakh government for the "massacre."

In the video, the group vowed not to allow the events to pass without retribution, and urged the Kazakh people to continue its "revolution" against the regime.

The group added that following these events, it would escalate its demands, mainly calls to abolish laws it deems anti-Islamic, and add to them the demand that Kazakh president Nursultan Nazarbayev be ousted from power.[6]

December 8, 2011: Jund Al-Khilafa Announces Deaths of Five of Its Members, Condemns Russia for Supporting Syrian Regime

On December 8, 2011, Jund Al-Khilafa published a communiqué announcing the deaths of five of its members.

According to the communiqué, on December 3, 2011, Kazakh government forces raided a safe house in Almaty Province where the five were hiding. The five died in the ensuing firefight.

Jund Al-Khilafa promised to avenge their blood, stating that they "are willing to be killed by the thousands in order to support this religion [Islam]."[7]

The communiqué also criticized Russia for supporting the Syrian regime and called upon it to cease its incitement against Muslims in Kazakhstan and elsewhere, warning that its anti-Muslim policies would bring catastrophe upon it.

November 9, 2011: Authorities Announce Arrest of Three Members of Jund Al-Khilafa Cell

On November 9, 2011, the district attorney of Atyrau, Kazakhstan announced that authorities had arrested three members of the terrorist cell that carried out the October 31 bombing attempt in the city.[8] A fourth member of the cell died when a bomb he was carrying exploded prematurely.

According to the district attorney's statement, the four had formed a local cell and initiated contact with Jund Al-Khilafa.

Following the arrest, on November 16, Jund Al-Khilafa issued a communiqué denouncing the Nazarbayev government and claiming responsibility for the November 12 lone-wolf attack in the town of Taraz, which left seven dead.

In the communiqué, the group reiterated its denouncements of what it sees as anti-Islamic laws laid down by the Nazarbayev government, and called on the latter to step down. The group wrote: "Cutting off the throb of resistance that flows in the veins of the sons Islam in Kazakhstan is not an easy matter. We are prepared for the matter [i.e., for resistance], and we are ready, with Allah's will, to continue our battle against Nazarbayev and his evil yes-men for many years to come, until all the wrongs against the Muslim people [of Kazakhstan] are redressed or we die on the path to [achieving] this.

"No one should think that the death of one soldier from our brigade can hold up our movement or stop it. For every one [arrested or killed], there are dozens – nay, hundreds – of lions [i.e. mujahideen] ready to pounce on the regime's withering gang. In Taraz, you saw with your own eyes what one soldier [of ours] can do to you, and, Allah willing, you will see horrors delivered by men who are not afraid of death, who are willing to sacrifice their souls to come to the aid of Islam and to defend the Muslims' honor..."

October 31, 2011: Jund Al-Khilafa Claims Responsibility for Attacks in Kazakhstan

As mentioned, Jund Al-Khilafa first became known after claiming responsibility for two explosions that occurred in Atyrau, Kazakhstan, on October 31, 2011. The group accused the Kazakh government of insulting Islam by banning the hijab and initiating a campaign against the religion.

In their communiqué claiming responsibility for the explosions, Jund Al-Khilafa said: "Considering the Kazakhstan regime's persistence in insulting the Muslim ummah, and its failure to heed our repeated warnings, open and secret, to amend its policy of oppression and contempt for the religion of Islam and its rituals… we in Jund Al-Khilafa announce our complete responsibility for the two explosions [that occurred today], the one targeting the district governor's office ('The White House'), and the one targeting the offices of the district attorney and the security services, [both] in the town of Atyrau…

The communiqué continued: "We stress that these two explosions were merely a warning to the government. We intentionally avoided causing casualties and injuries, out of concern for the many people who pass through these areas. However, if in the future we fail to find attentive ears and an answer to our demands, we swear by Allah that our next attacks will break that tyrant's back, and we will shed his helpers' blood, which will flow in unstoppable rivers…"[9]