Batirashvili became the no.2 in Islamic State, referred to as its military commander in a U.S. wanted list which cited a 2014 Islamic State video. For Russian speakers who want to join up with the Islamic State, Turkey is a useful staging post. Turkish officials say the suspected attackers had ties to Islamic State and were from Russia and the ex-Soviet central Asia states of Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan. Some who do not make it to Iraq or Syria, or who spend time with Islamic State then quit its ranks, have settled in Turkey. The younger Batirashvili went on to create a force of Russian-speaking fighters under the flag of Islamic State, according to U.N. and U.S. officials.

Source: Indian Express July 04, 2016 05:37 UTC