The Zakat Foundation of America

Chechnya

After the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991, a number of regions managed to break away and gain independence. Despite being recognized as a distinct group of people, Chechnya was not granted independence. Tensions between the Russian government and Chechen opposition escalated into warfare in 1994. More recently, Russian forces led a full-scale war in the Chechen region in 2000, causing more than 1.5 million people to leave the region, while others stayed but remain in refugee camps.

*Much information is unavailable as the Chechens are calculated into the whole of Russia or into the North Caucasus region. Chechnya has not been formally recognized by any country as having attained independence.