Altai Mountains, East Kazakhstan Region,
The Kazakh Republic.
11:30AM GMT +6
June 8th, 2019
Abduwali Sayrami slung his rugged Kalashnikov over his shoulder as he began approaching the outskirts of the village of Bobrovka, a small village surrounded by the expansive Altai Mountains which extended through Eastern Kazakhstan, the Xinjiang Republic, Mongolia and Russia. Following Abduwali were eight men who were also armed and primarily Uyghur like himself and represented only a fraction of a larger mujahideen compromised of Uyghurs, Chechens, Uzbeks, Tajiks, Kyrgyz, Kazakhs, Afghans and Turkmens. Who operated primarily in the East Kazakhstan Region and the neighboring Xinjiang Republic and had once been several separate jihadist factions from across Central Asia who unified themselves into one entity upon pledging allegiance to Al-Shams in 2015. Much of what is referred to as the 'Turkic Jaish al-Fatah' or Turkic Army of Conquest, live and operate within the Altai Mountain region that specifically spreads into the neighboring Xinjiang Republic. The factions that comprise of TJaF have been operating independently of each other since the mid to late 1990s and have since created a strong presence in Xinjiang and in the East Kazakhstan Region. A prolonged insurgency has existed even before the formation of the Al-Shams linked TJaF and after the formation the mujahideen had been able to recruit new fighters primarily Kazakh youth who had harsh upbringings in the former Soviet Republic. The current Kazakh and Xinjiang Republics who both maintained majority Islamist populations were very much ripe for TJaF and Al-Shams influence and were the perfect breeding grounds for extremism.
Abduwali and his eight Uyghur fighters promptly entered Bobrovka from which they walked in the open as with the relative seclusion of the village its self their was no real Kazakh Republic authority to stop them. The village was home to over 60 people most being native Kazakhs who lived the rural lifestyle as their ancestors before them did years ago. The village market was Abduwali's first stop as they needed to get supplies that they couldn't get themselves out in the remoteness of the Altai Mountains. Certain food stuffs, pots and pans along with clothing were usually items that local militants such as Abduwali's would come to these villages to acquire besides the fact that they also served as the village's protection as the residents were all adherents to Sunni Islam and always welcomed mujahideen fighters in with open arms.
"Peace be upon you" A villager remarked as Abduwali and his men passed by and now walked up to one of the cluster of houses which was fairly easy to spot as a black flag with Arabic writing was hung just outside. He entered on his own as the rest of his men stayed outside talking among themselves and inspecting their weapons. The inside of the house was remarkably clean for how old most houses in the village were and in the living room was a fire place and on the floor a prayer mat that was used for prayer. Sitting crisscrossed on the floor wielding a small cup of locally brewed tea was Tahir Hojaniasov who looked up at Abduwali with a smile and gestured him over to a small table that had a tea kettle and a spare cup.
"Peace be upon you, brother. Come, come sit and have tea with me" Hojaniasov said as Abduwali having already slipped off his shoes and placed them off to the side joined him at the table. Hot tea was served into the spare cup in which Abduwali took the cup blowing on it softly. Tahir Hojaniasov was a native Kazakh and part of the Turkic Army of Conquest who operated in Eastern Kazakhstan who was now handling the training of over a dozen teenagers in Islamic theology and military training. Hojaniasov had served in the Kazakh Army in Soviet times and now used his experience to train the new generation of TJaF, an older gentleman by far as he was over half way through his fifties but due to his lifestyle and clean dieting he was still just as strong and capable. A convert to Islam after the dissolution of the Soviet Republic of Kazakhstan, he had originally joined a mujahideen outfit in these very mountains who were mostly Uyghurs, however now they were all part of TJaF and more so Al-Shams.
"Have your travels been well?" Hojaniasov asked as the two drank tea as Arabic nasheeds played at a low volume from somewhere in the house. Abduwali shifted himself before nodding his head several times to the question. He and his men and made the short journey down from their base camp further in the Altai Mountains from which they sometimes traversed to get into the neighboring Xinjiang Republic. His most recent journey into the Xinjiang Republic saw him meeting up with another TJaF outfit and participating in hit and run attacks against Xinjiang security forces.
"They've been very well, Brother. And how are the students? Are they ready to begin their life of Jihad with us in the way of Allah?" Abduwali asked in return as Hojaniasov sipped his tea once more before setting it down. Twelve teenagers ranging from 14-18 years old had volunteered and were allowed by their parents to join Hojaniasov in learning the way of a true Islamic warrior. Over a month of studying the Qu'ran and receiving basic military training in the form of physical fitness and firearms training, he believed that they were as ready as could be to join the Jihad.
"They've done very well. It has been a month since I have started teaching them and all of them are fast learners. God willing they are ready to join us in our cause, brother." He remarked as Abduwali nodded. The teenagers would soon be put to the test once they were outfitted with gear and firearms for themselves. The rise of the Caliphate of Rum by the Jund Al-Rashid had raised morale significantly among the entirety of the Turkic Army of Conquest and were now in the process of training new recruits and beginning a reinvigorated jihad against their enemies.
Abduwali and his eight Uyghur fighters promptly entered Bobrovka from which they walked in the open as with the relative seclusion of the village its self their was no real Kazakh Republic authority to stop them. The village was home to over 60 people most being native Kazakhs who lived the rural lifestyle as their ancestors before them did years ago. The village market was Abduwali's first stop as they needed to get supplies that they couldn't get themselves out in the remoteness of the Altai Mountains. Certain food stuffs, pots and pans along with clothing were usually items that local militants such as Abduwali's would come to these villages to acquire besides the fact that they also served as the village's protection as the residents were all adherents to Sunni Islam and always welcomed mujahideen fighters in with open arms.
"Peace be upon you" A villager remarked as Abduwali and his men passed by and now walked up to one of the cluster of houses which was fairly easy to spot as a black flag with Arabic writing was hung just outside. He entered on his own as the rest of his men stayed outside talking among themselves and inspecting their weapons. The inside of the house was remarkably clean for how old most houses in the village were and in the living room was a fire place and on the floor a prayer mat that was used for prayer. Sitting crisscrossed on the floor wielding a small cup of locally brewed tea was Tahir Hojaniasov who looked up at Abduwali with a smile and gestured him over to a small table that had a tea kettle and a spare cup.
"Peace be upon you, brother. Come, come sit and have tea with me" Hojaniasov said as Abduwali having already slipped off his shoes and placed them off to the side joined him at the table. Hot tea was served into the spare cup in which Abduwali took the cup blowing on it softly. Tahir Hojaniasov was a native Kazakh and part of the Turkic Army of Conquest who operated in Eastern Kazakhstan who was now handling the training of over a dozen teenagers in Islamic theology and military training. Hojaniasov had served in the Kazakh Army in Soviet times and now used his experience to train the new generation of TJaF, an older gentleman by far as he was over half way through his fifties but due to his lifestyle and clean dieting he was still just as strong and capable. A convert to Islam after the dissolution of the Soviet Republic of Kazakhstan, he had originally joined a mujahideen outfit in these very mountains who were mostly Uyghurs, however now they were all part of TJaF and more so Al-Shams.
"Have your travels been well?" Hojaniasov asked as the two drank tea as Arabic nasheeds played at a low volume from somewhere in the house. Abduwali shifted himself before nodding his head several times to the question. He and his men and made the short journey down from their base camp further in the Altai Mountains from which they sometimes traversed to get into the neighboring Xinjiang Republic. His most recent journey into the Xinjiang Republic saw him meeting up with another TJaF outfit and participating in hit and run attacks against Xinjiang security forces.
"They've been very well, Brother. And how are the students? Are they ready to begin their life of Jihad with us in the way of Allah?" Abduwali asked in return as Hojaniasov sipped his tea once more before setting it down. Twelve teenagers ranging from 14-18 years old had volunteered and were allowed by their parents to join Hojaniasov in learning the way of a true Islamic warrior. Over a month of studying the Qu'ran and receiving basic military training in the form of physical fitness and firearms training, he believed that they were as ready as could be to join the Jihad.
"They've done very well. It has been a month since I have started teaching them and all of them are fast learners. God willing they are ready to join us in our cause, brother." He remarked as Abduwali nodded. The teenagers would soon be put to the test once they were outfitted with gear and firearms for themselves. The rise of the Caliphate of Rum by the Jund Al-Rashid had raised morale significantly among the entirety of the Turkic Army of Conquest and were now in the process of training new recruits and beginning a reinvigorated jihad against their enemies.
