The Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, known simply as Ichkeria and colloquially as Chechnya, was a de facto state in the North Caucasus region of Eastern Europe. It controlled most of the former Checheno-

Shamil Salmanovich Basayev, also known by his kunya Abu Idris, was a Chechen guerrilla leader who served as a senior military commander in the breakaway Chechen Republic of Ichkeria. He held the rank