A series of attacks on the morning of Aug. 20 in and around Grozny, the capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya, killed one police officer and injured three other officers and a civilian. The Islamic State claimed credit for the attacks via its Amaq news agency, calling the perpetrators "Fighters of the Islamic State." This wording implies a more formal relationship between the attackers in the Caucasus and the Islamic State leadership in Syria and Iraq compared to the more common sort of claim implying an attack was inspired by the militant group -- such as the recent attack against foreign cyclists in Tajikistan. The incidents also occurred hours before the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha, which militants have previously exploited as a time to conduct attacks. ...
