Tarkhan Ismailovich Gaziyev (), also known as Emir Tarkhan, is a Chechen militant commander who has fought in the Insurgency in the North Caucasus. The United States Department of State added Gaziyev to its list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists on 29 September 2015. Rebel activity Gaziyev was born on 11 November 1965 in the small village of Pozh-Poroy in the mountainous Itum-Kale district of the former Chechen–Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. During the Second Chechen War, Gaziyev held a number of top military positions in Chechnya's armed underground resistance, commanding a squad of several dozen militants that operated mainly in the Achkoi-Martan district. Officially wanted by federal authorities since 14 May 2004, Gaziyev has established his rebel credentials by carrying out an array of attacks on Russian security forces and local pro-Moscow authorities, including: The murder of the Chairman of the Council of Elders of the Itum-Kale district in the village of Abugroi. An attack on both a school building and the house of the school's head of administration in the village of Gukhoy in the Itum-Kale district; the administration head's nephew was killed and four policemen were wounded in the attack. Leading twenty militants in an assault on the village of Alkhazurovo which killed four police officers and one soldier on 19 March 2008. A series of armed raids in several villages within the Achkoi-Martan and Urus-Martan districts on 20–21 April 2008. Virtually every insurgent operation conducted in the Itum-Kale district from 2002–2011, as well as all operations undertaken in the Achkoi-Martan district from 2007-2011 are alleged to be attributable to Gaziyev; altogether, he has led sub-units on dozens of missions in the past decade. He was said to be held in great respect by fellow fighters for his courage, military skills and depth of faith. Gaziyev was named commander of the Southwest Front of the Armed Forces of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria by rebel leader Dokka Umarov on 24 September 2006, and was later appointed head of the National Security Service at the beginning of March 2007. Following the formation of the Caucasus Emirate in the fall of 2007, the entity was renamed "Raisa Mukhabarat" (security service), and Gaziyev retained his post; however, Umarov revoked Gaziyev's title following a summer 2010 leadership dispute. Split with Dokka Umarov The first public disagreement between Gaziyev and Umarov occurred in 2008 when Gaziyev refused to carry out an order