Imam Shamil Battalion Participant in the Insurgency in the North Caucasus, Islamic terrorism in Europe (2014–present) and the Global War on Terrorism The Shahada flag commonly used by al-Qaeda. Active April 2017 - present Ideology Salafist jihadism Wahhabism[1] Leaders Abu Salah al-Uzbeky Headquarters Caucasus, Russia Area of operations Russia Part of al-Qaeda Allies Tahrir al-Sham Opponents State opponents Russia Non-State opponents Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Battles and wars 2017 Saint Petersburg metro bombing