Gakayev was born on 8 July 1970 in the village of Kalinovskaya, which is located in the Naur district of Chechnya bordering Mozdok, North Ossetia.[1] He participated in the First Chechen War from 1994-96 - including the early struggle against the pro-Moscow Chechen opposition[4]- fighting in units commanded by the legendary Shamil Basayev.[1] Following the Khasavyurt Accord that ended the first conflict, Gakayev served as deputy commander of the Jundullah Islamic Brigade within the structure of the Eastern Front of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria's (ChRi) armed forces, and he was also named Emir of the local Elistanzhi Jamaat of the Vedeno sector. It was in the fall of 1999 that Gakayev launched a military campaign which continues to this day in the same capacity.[1]