Regional implications of the al-Qaeda/ISIL struggle

The competition between Al Qaeda and ISIL over the leadership of the global jihadist movement has already changed security parameters for the Middle East. Moreover, the presence of Al Qaeda and ISIL affiliates in the North Caucasus and Georgia’s Pankisi Gorge may pose a threat to the Caucasian states and Russia if worsening economic and social conditions ease the recruitment process of radical militants. This article focuses on the competitive struggle over resources and dominance between Al Qaeda and ISIL, and the implications for regional security in the Middle East and the Caucasus.