Russia’s Counter-Terrorism Operations Center in the North Caucasus alleged, on November 16, that there are signs of increasing influence of Wahhabism in Georgia’s Pankisi gorge.

Pankisi Gorge in Georgia’s northern mountainous region, which borders Russia’s rebel republic of Chechnya and which was a safe haven for Chechen militants and foreign mercenaries in 2000-2002. However, as the Georgian authorities claim, the gorge has been cleaned up as a result of anti-crime operation in 2002-2003.

RIA Novosti news agency reported quoting a spokesman for Russia’s Counter-Terrorism Operations Center in the North Caucasus Ilia Shabalkin as saying that “so called followers of Wahhabism launched aggressive propaganda among the local population” in the Pankisi gorge.

“Intimidation of the local population is used as a method for breeding Wahhabism there,” Shabalkin added.