Chapter 1: The Islamic State
The Rise of Islamic State
According to Laub & Masters (2016), study on Islamic state. It is the sunni movement which has conquered territories in Eastern Syria , Western Iraq and Libya. The sole purpose o fthis movement was to establish Caliphate with the claiming of theological authority and exclusive political authority over the world’s Muslims. This movement was more characterized by the extreme violence used in the movement. In Iraq and Syria few signs of Political progresse has been seen, this progress was needed to sustin military gains. Origin of Islamic state group began afetr the US invasion of Iraq in 2003. This group initiated its operations when Jordanian militant Abu Musab al Zarqawi allingned his militant group with Al Qaeda making Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI). Main focus of the Zarqawi organization was focused on US forces and their international allies. In 2006, Zarqawi was killed in an airstrike by USA. After the death of Zarqawi name of the organization changed into Islamic State of Iraq and Al Sham (ISIS). ISIS means a territory that roughly corresponds with the Eastern Mediterranean. The leader of Islamic state, Abu Bakr Al- Baghdadi spent time in one of the prisons controlled by USA. In 2003, US formed an institution de- Ba’athification that show sthe collaboration of USA with the Islamic state withrespect to way back to power.
According to Ralph & Souter (2015), Islamic state emerged as a threat to the Iraqi people. Aimo fteh study was to see if Australia and UK have a responsibility to protect those who have been threatened. Study presented an argument that ISIS is a result of invasion made by the USA on Iraq in 2003.it was mentioned in the study that UK and Australia should not be held responsible for the invasion made by the USA. Because of the invasion by USA on Iraq, it lead to the emergence of a major civil force in 2013, which extended its operations in Iraq. Islamic state of Iraq and al-sham (ISIS) seized the oprtaions of the maor city in Iraq, Mosul, and coalition was formed to protect the Mosul dam from the Kurdish groud foces. It has been argues in the study that UK has helped USA in the invasion of Iraq that lead to the emergence of ISIS.
In the book written by Atwan (2015), Islamic state is the latest and most deadliest incarnation of the globaljihad movement. This movement was established by Osama bin Laden and Ayman al- Zawahiri in 1998. According to the Montevideo convention on rights and duties, two types of statehood are there, declatory and constitutive. The population that is being controlled by the Islamic state are over 6 million which is more than any country in Europe.in January 2015, Islamic state opened its own bank in Mosul, which is the main city of Iraq, with the fact that Interest is Haram in Islam. Islamic state is not concerened with tehinternational laws and regulations. The Slafists, who adhere the earlier versions of Islam, have a history that shos a period of Jahilliyah (Ignorance). Belief of the Islamic state revolves around the fact that world has been in a state of ignorance, which can only be emerged through three steps, Faith, Jihad and Hijra. Pwimary focus of the Islamic state is on these three stages. The migration of high number of fighters to join this casue of Islamic State is a vital aspect of its online recruitmet material and PR.
According to Jabareen (2015), world ahs seen a emergence of a new Islamic States by specific Islamic organziations.these new Islamic States have the potential to transform geopolitical situation setting of the Middle East to have complex effects on a broader or global level. Argument rasised in the study was related to the challenege that has been posed by the Islamic State on the tacticala and concenptual dimesions of territories of modern states.uniqueness of the Islamic state lies in the Tactics and strategies used by the Islamic state. It has been showed by the study that these tactics and strategies are brutal with respect to their executions and considered worst by muslims around the globe. Result of the study mad e clear that strategies made and implemented by the Islamic State does pose a challenge to the territories of modern states.
The Roles of Women within ISIS
According to Chatterjee (2016), looking at the Islamic state other than the strategic implications of the rise of this state, the role of women si wuestioned widely regarding how thy are perceived in ISIS. Study explored and imposed different situations to assess the role of women in those situations. It aslo examined the impact of those situations on women’s lives. Study concluded with the result that women can be seen as an active agents and voiceless victims. It depends on the situation and their role cannot be judged within a monolithic frame. Their roles changes according to the situation.
According to Ali (2015), ISIS forbids the education of women and brutalize those omens who do not meet the dress code. ISIS use womens in most of their propogandas in which women appear in a publicity holding a gun and wearing a hijab. ISIS heavily sexualize womens as an objects. In the beginning of 2015, ISIS made it sfirst publication reated to the manifesto “Women of the Islamic state”. The manifesto contained 41 pages. The role of women described in the manifesto explained that they should be kept hidden veiled. Shops that sells fashion related items should be banned and they consider this as a work of devil (Shaitaan). They have a distinct believe that Men and Women are not equal. Women are ment to give beirth to the child and serve her husband and should never leave the house without the permissionof a husband. Women can only go out of the house in case of Jihad or when no men are available. Study also explaijned the brutality of ISIS with Yazeidi women, most of the women taken by ISIS have committed suicide, now ISIS have banned the use of scarf for Yazeifi women so that they will not commit suicide. ISIS sexualizes women and use Yazeidi women for sex purpose for their fighters of Jihad.
According to Agara (2015), terrorism is as old as humanity. Now a days, nuclear war are not considered as dangerous as the differences in the religion and religious differnces. The involvement of women in terrorism and terrorist’s organization is not clear by the media and policy makers. This initiates many question regarding why women joins these organizations. Do they join it from religious perscpective or not. Study explained that approximately 26% of all suicide attacks between 1981 and 2007 involves women. This shows that terrorist organnizations uses women as a weapon to carry out their major terrorist activities. Most of the times we think that terrorist activities are majorly carried out by the men in the society.
According to Bloom (2011), the use of womens in the terrorist activities is increased drastically. For the terrorist organizations, they use womens as an elemnt of surprise. Though it does damages the psychological well being and morale of the soldiers opposing them. Main purpose of soldiers is to protect the country and people, however they encounter Post traumatic stress disorder form the fact that they have to shoot those people who they have to protect which creates stress in their mind.study explained different roles played by the women in different situation in terrorism. However their role cannot be depicted in full confidence as their role changes according to the situation.
According to Chowdhury et al (2016), history shows the involvement of women in the terrorist organizations. Organziations like Red Brigades (Italy), Action Directe (France) and Red Army Fraction (Germany) included womens in their ranks. During the feminist movement in Europe in 1970, it gave birth to the fact that in order to respond to the poilitical and ideological demands, violence is the method that can be used. History revealed the use of women in terrorist organizations. Those women who somehow being brutalized by the society or even criticized iby the society ends up joining these organizations. Mostly they use these orhgznaitions to get their revenge from the society which lead them to do such activities.
Chapter 2 The Chechen-Russian Conflict
The Moscow Theatre Hostage Crisis
According to Sanz (2017), aim of the study was to contribute to bridging gap in the academic literature on the North Caucasus which involves the critical discosure analysis of the evidences provided by kavkaz center news agency. Study also explained the disclosure that is varied in the lights of recent and alleged peace culture permeating the western societies. Theater was taken down by 50 Chechens in October 2002. Inthis scenario, Chechen people took 850 hostages which resulted in the deaths of more than 150 people. Claim of the Chechens was allegiance to the Islamist separatist movement in Chechnya. Main demands of this action by the Chechens was the removal of Russiaand from the lands of Chechny and put an end to second Chechnya war. Womens were covered from head to toe and they wore balck dresses holding a gun. After this event Russians named them as Black widow.
Research conducted by Vorsina et al (2017), on the effect of Moscow theater sieg onexpectations of well being in the future explains by focusing on the expectations of life in shorter and broadened understanding of social concequences of terrorism. Study concluded that engaging with the psychological communities in order for them to devise programs and policies whose primary target would be the people that are most vulnerable to enhnace psychological resillence which results in terrorist activities.
According to riches et al (2012), on October 23, 2002, Chechen terrorist take over the theater in Moscow during a performance of musical Nord – Ost was going on. Terrorist took approximately 850 peope as hostages, the siege eneded on Oct 26, 2002 when special forces of Russian Federal security services pumped out a chemical aerosol into the building resulting with deaths of 33 terrorits and 129 hostages. It has been reported that two hostages were shot dead by the terrorists. Medical services provided by the Russian forces were inadequate and complex. Women showed in this scenario were cruela and extremely violent. It was due to the fact that Russian government did not knew how to handle the suuation that arises after Chemical aerosol strikes. It has been said by the official of the Russian government that one of the hostages lost his life because of the effects of the gas. The use of this gas is not effective as far as humnas are considered, if used in other such activities it is highly likely that hostages also get affected by the gas.
According to Rieder et al (2012), on Oct 26, 2002 Russian army put an end to the terrorist activity going on in the Moscow theater. Colatile substances have been used to eliminate the terrorists. Authorities of the government made it clear tht they use Narcoitc Fentanyl to eliminate terrorists. Terrorists were unable to move and continue their working because of the combination of gases used by the Russian Army. Study concludes with the fact that use of such gases were highly unlikely that it does costs the life of hostages as well. Army should have came with other plans to capture the terrorists and protect the hostages as well. But using this combination of gases if used in future in other such activities then more linnocent lives will be lost. Although claims have been made regarding the fact that in carrying out such operation if some lives lost to save most of the lives its acceptable but on humanitarian grounds this is morally wrong. Loss of innocent lives is never in the best interest of the government. The role of women in this case was to let Rusians go through the amount of pain they went through in the war when they lost their husbands and sons.
According to Potter (2018), the combination of gases used to capture terrorists and recover the hostages in the Moscow theater terrorist activity. Gas used havethe ability to potent synthetic opiate which will lead to unconsiousnesss. After this siege, authorities of Russia were declining the fact that they know about the gas. Doctors wer unable to identify the cure of this gas to the patients of that incident. Study concluded with the fact that complexity in the medical support requied was underestimated in preparation of the action to end the occupation.
The Black Widows of Chechnya
According to Toto (2015), balck widow is defined as amurderious women who have committed crime directed at men in their lives. Most of the women in this category have same instincts and considered cruel and extremely violent while carrying out their crime. This term ame into existence afetr the Moscow theater crisis. Most of the terrorists have lost their loved ones or husbands in Chechen war which lead them to do such activities which are illegal. Black widow made a claim that they will appear in the social olympic games held in Russia.many vidoes made by the Black widows with one sole claim in which they ensures there would be a war that’s coming towards them for the loss of their loved one caused by Russian Army. Form the beginning of the Chechen insurgency, womens have contributed 80% in the terrorist war and attacks. Use of females in the war by the Chechens bring forward better results then in the war that involves men. Using females in attacks brings fear, efficient results and attention. It has been concluded in the paper that most of the women in the Chechen terrorist groups are self recruited because of having the same pupose to avenge their loved one’s whom they have lost in a war with Russia. Study also concluded that organizations have a powerful effects on the degree of female terrorism within a terrorist group.
According to Spechkard & Akhmednova (2006), Chechen womens were named as Black widow by the Russian media when it became clear that they are conducting terrorist activities because of the deaths of their loved one’s in the war between Russia and Chechnya. It appeared as if answer top the psychological trauma and ways of expressin their grief and sorrow by adopting the Jihadist ideology. Traditionally Chechens lives by a code that explains in case they lose their loved ones they will drastically goes into the state of psychological trauma which cause them to take revenge of their loved one’s if they die because of cruelty. Study concludes that all the participants involved in the study had primary motive of revenge. Participants involved in the study were self recruited in the early stages of their terrorist journey.
Individuals who aer in traumatized psychological state are highly attracted towards radical groups. It has been explained in the study that not all but some of the womens trained in a terrorist training program. Chechen womens are somehow different from thei Arab sisiters with the fact thatthey can do a job and can have education as well. Main objective of a terrorist activity is to bring change in the politicl structure of te country. Palestenians staretd using their womens in ther terrorist activities when their men were not able to cross the checkpoitns. It has been explained that in mst of the cases of female terrorist they are derived by some motive.
According to Turner (2016), increasing availability of females in the terrorist activities shows the growing trend of them used by the terrorist organziations. There are number of reasons that organziations use femaels for terrorist activities oen of them si realtd to the publicity they gain by the involvement of female in a terrorist activity. They are provided with the motive that triggers them to commit terrorist activities. Womens of Chechen used to take revenge of their husbands whom they lost in the war between Chechnya and Russia. The rle of women in terrorist activities is to present an element of surprise. We all have one common belief that men are the one’s who are involved in terrorist activities. Some organizations, just to increase their ranks and numbers, use women in the terrorist activities. One of those organizations is LTTE, they call these womens as freedom Birds. The campaign of suicide bombings by the Chechen women was a hallmark of Chechnya’s earliest separatist campaigns. Organziations use these womens to increase their fear among the people and to promote their casue.
Motivations of the Black Widows of Chechnya
According to Rivera (2016), there were several factors involved that motivated the Chechen womesn to carry out terrorist activitites. Martyrdom is one of those factors that motivated them. The wives of Mujaheedeen were raped by the Russian soldiers. These womens did not coped with the humiliation they faced, so they used martyrdom as aremedy to serve the cause of GOD and take revenge for their sons and husbands. For Chechen women in order to get back your honor martyrdom is the way by which they can get back their honor. Study aslo explained the role of Wahabbi Islam played during the conflict of Chechen, used as a justification to commit terrorist crimes. According to the Chechen sources, many of the womens were victims of rape, for Chechen women they now can nerver get marry to any other male and will never have children. So mmartyrdom was the only solution available to them. Akhmedova discovered evidence of the women self recruitment and strong willingness to martyr themselves on the behalf of their country and indepemdence for Russia.
Revenege was another motive that motivated Chechen women to indulge in terrorist activities. Most of the recruiters target womens whohaev lost their loved ones in a war. Terrorist in Chechen emphasized highly on the fact that many of the suicide female attackers acted following the death of tehr loved ones. Because of this, almost all the women who lost their loved ones joined the organization and staretd committing activities that wilhelp them getting revenge fro their husbands and sons. Terrorist frame the death of a family member so thatthey can manipulate womens to becem suicide bombers so that they can serve them. Chechen women afer becoming black widow were able to take some control and no longer have to bear the sufferings they endured throughout the war. Death of a family member is considered one of the powerful tool in the motivation of a women to become a suicide comber in Chechnya. There’s a believe in Chechen people that women should not get revenge of their loved one’s on their own. But still studies have reveald that they went into organizations so that they can get revenge. Being provided with the opportunity to take revenge also break down the social norm associated with gender roles. Bloom believed that actions of Russian military played an important role in the emergence of Black widow.
According to Gentry (2016), in his book he explained sveral factors that played a role of motivation for Chechen womens. In the war betwenn Russia and Chechnya, Russian army brutalize the people of Chechnya, they raped womens and humiliated them. Womens of the people that were slaughtered and killed developed psychological trauma in them which was continuously haunting the. It has been said that Chechen women should not indulge in activities that will lead them to take revenge for their loved ones. Womens of Chechnya self recruited themselves with one sole pupose of bringing terror in Russia so that they will feel the same pain as they did. Loss of their loved one’s and to get back their honor womens of Chechnya staretd out committing terrorist activities. One of other factors that lead them to commit such activities was the belief that by the maen of Martyrdom they will get back their honor. There’s a believe in Chechen women that once get raped by other men then they will never be able to give birth to other child and will never be able to marry other person. For them this is one of the worst feelings they could get. Afetr being raped by the Russian Army, it leads them into the state of trauma which continuesly haunts them. It has also be said in the book that their movement is somehow related to jihadi movement of muslims.
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