Nogai activists treat Elmira Kenzhibulatova as "victim of situation"

The father of Elmira Kenzhibulatova, a resident of the Tarumovka District of Dagestan, and the Nogai activists familiar with her family deny her links with militants.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Elmira, a 28-year-old resident of Dagestan, and her two young daughters arrived in Grozny by flight from Istanbul on March 14, where she was met by her relatives. She had found herself with her kids in the "Al Khol" camp in Syria because of her husband. On the day of her return, she was detained by Dagestani law enforcers.

In November 2014, Elmira's husband took her and a child to Turkey; and in Istanbul, he told her that they would not return to Russia, but would go to Syria, Rasul Kenzhibulatov Elmira's father, has explained. "Elmira was against leaving for Syria, began to call me and cry. I told her to return home; and she did so. But her husband did not give her the 10-month-old child," said the father.

According to his story, after her return, Elmira stayed at home for three months, but she could not withstand it and left for Syria aiming to take away the child. "The husband deceived her: he promised to give her (the child), and she went there. The husband didn't let her back; he took away all her documents, including the Russian passport, and burned them sown; thus, she had to stay there," said Elmira's father, adding that in 2017, the daughter's husband perished.

The father insists that Elmira had nothing to do with militants.

Izidin Bigishiev, the president of the "Equality" Association of Nogai Communities of Dagestan, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that he is closely acquainted with the Kenzhibulatov family. “We've been communicating with Rasul Kenzhibulatov for 10 years. Elmira got married, everything seemed to be fine. Her husband worked as a doctor. At some point, he got under some influence, dropped everything and left for Syria. He took away the child; and Elmira couldn't live here without her little daughter," Mr Bigishiev has explained.

According to his story, Elmira with her children became a victim of this situation.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on April 3, 2020 at 01:50 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.