Moscow, August 13, 2015
Ramzan Kadyrov, head of the Republic of Chechnya in Russia's North Caucasus, has said that the number of young people joining the Islamic State international terrorist organization, which is outlawed in Russia, has declined.
During an expanded session of ministers, representatives of law enforcement services, lawmakers, the heads of different agencies, district and city administrations, as well as the clergy, Ramzan Kadyrov announced that the "number of instances of young people joining the Islamic State ranks has been sharply reduced and has almost been brought down to zero," a report posted on the regional government's website says.
According to Kadyrov, issues concerning the fight against extremism and Wahhabism cannot be removed from the agenda as long as this terrorist group, which the Chechen head called 'Iblis State' (Iblis means devil in Arabic), continues to exist.
People who joined Islamic State will not be able to return to Chechnya, he said.
"If they decided to fight, let them fight and die there. They are not needed in Chechnya!," Kadyrov said.
