A former Russian military captain was sentenced on
Tuesday to 19 years in prison for fighting alongside the Islamic
State extremist group in Syria, state media reported.
Denis Khisamov is believed to have participated in 10 operations with
the Islamist group in Syria, including a deadly attack on the town of
Al-Rai near the Turkish border.
Khisamov, who had left the Russian military in 2009, confessed to
participating in attacks that killed several people, state news
agency TASS reported.
Khisamov was found guilty of providing training for terrorist
activities and participating in an organization that the Russian
state has outlawed as terrorist.
Southern Russia has for decades struggled with an Islamist insurgency
seeking to establish an independent Islamic country.
Many of those
insurgents are believed to have gone to Syria or Iraq to fight for
Islamic State.
As the militant group is defeated in Syria and Iraq, Russian
authorities have become increasingly concerned about these fighters
returning home.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said two years ago that there were
about 10,000 nationals of former Soviet countries fighting for
Islamic State in Syria.
Denis Khisamov is believed to have participated in 10 operations with the Islamist group in Syria. Photo courtesy: Moscow Times
