Politics · Russia · 6 hrs ago
Russian Supreme Court Bans Ingush Sufi Order as Extremist
Russia’s Supreme Court banned the Batal Hajji order on Wednesday, designating it an extremist organization.
The closed Sufi Muslim order originated in Ingushetia, a republic in the North Caucasus.
Prosecutors accused its members of supporting insurgents and said affiliates helped attackers by selling them weapons and ammunition.
They also linked the order to attacks on Russian police and military, a 2009 train bombing and two deadly attacks in 2024.
More than 100 members have been convicted of illegally trafficking weapons for acts of terror, according to the prosecutor’s office.
The order has around 20,000 members, and its military wing was designated terrorist in 2023.
Russia’s Supreme Court outlawed the Batal Hajji Sufi Muslim order as an extremist organization on Wednesday.
The court granted a request by state prosecutors, who accused the order of supporting armed insurgents and facilitating attacks.
Prosecutors said more than 100 members had been convicted of illicit trafficking in materials used to commit acts of terror.
The order originated in Ingushetia and has around 20,000 members, according to the article.
- Who
- The Batal Hajji brotherhood, a Sufi Muslim order from Ingushetia.
- What
- Russia’s Supreme Court outlawed it as an extremist organization.
- When
- Wednesday, October 14, 2026.
- Where
- Russia; the order originated in the North Caucasus republic of Ingushetia.
- Why
- Prosecutors said the order provided material support to armed insurgents and that members were linked to attacks and weapons trafficking.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Ingush Sheikh Batal Hajji Belkhoroev founded the brotherhood.
Russian authorities designated the brotherhood’s so-called “military wing” a terrorist organization.
Russia’s Supreme Court outlawed the brotherhood as an extremist organization.
- Court
- Russia’s Supreme Court
- Ruling
- The Batal Hajji brotherhood was designated an extremist organization
- Membership
- Around 20,000
- Origin
- Ingushetia, North Caucasus
- Convictions
- More than 100 members, according to the Prosecutor General’s Office
What people are saying
More than 100 members of the order have been convicted of the illicit trafficking of means for committing acts of terror.
Leaders and members of the community organized illegal channels to supply foreign-made firearms from abroad.