Doku Umarov, the leader of Russian militant group the Caucasus Emirate, stepped down Aug. 1 for health reasons. Under Umarov's leadership, the Caucasus Emirate was able to centralize (or at least take credit for) the efforts of previously disparate militant groups throughout the Caucasus. Umarov announced he will be succeeded by Aslambek Vadalov, who was previously the commander of the Caucasus Emirate's eastern front, which includes Dagestan. The autonomous Russian republic of Dagestan has seen the highest rate of militant attacks and casualties so far this summer — between May and July 2010, more attacks were staged in it than the other Caucasus republics of Chechnya and Ingushetia combined. Naming Vadalov to be the head of the Caucasus Emirate could be an acknowledgment of the success of the group's operations in Dagestan under his leadership.
