Today marks the 17th anniversary of the martyrdom of Shamil Basayev, a prominent figure in Chechen history and a legendary Chechen commander.

He was martyred in a truck explosion on July 10, 2006, at the age of 41, near the border of North Ossetia in the village of Ekazhevo, Ingushetia, a republic bordering Chechnya.

Known as a legendary Chechen commander, Basayev left a significant impact on the Chechen struggle for independence.

Born in the village of Dyshne-Vedeno in Chechnya in 1965, Basayev was raised in a politically charged environment during the Soviet era. Influenced by his experiences during the Chechen conflict in the 1990s, he emerged as a key figure in the Chechen resistance movement.

Basayev's military acumen and charismatic leadership skills played a vital role in elevating his status among the Chechen fighters.

Basayev became a prominent leader during the First Chechen War (1994-1996) and continued to fight for the independence of Chechnya during the subsequent years.

He advocated for an independent Chechen state and employed unconventional tactics to confront the Russian forces.

He held the rank of brigadier general in the Armed Forces of Ichkeria. As a military commander in the separatist armed forces of Chechnya, one of his most notable battles was the recapture of Grozny in 1996, which he personally planned and commanded together with Aslan Maskhadov. He also masterminded several of attacks in Russia.

Starting as a field commander in the Transcaucasus, Basayev led guerrilla campaigns against Russian forces for years, as well as launching mass-hostage takings, with his goal being the withdrawal of Russian soldiers from Chechnya.

From 1997 to 1998, he also served as the vice-prime minister of the Chechen state in Aslan Maskhadov's government.

Beginning in 2003, Basayev used the nom de guerre and title of "Emir Abdullah Shamil Abu-Idris". As Basayev's reputation gained fame, he became well revered among Chechen fighters and eventually became the highest-ranking Chechen military commander and was considered the undisputed leader of the Chechen forces as well as being the overall senior leader of all other Chechen factions.

Basayev was martyred in a truck explosion during arms deal in July 2006. Forensic evidence suggests that his death was caused when a landmine he was examining exploded, but Russian officials have also claimed that one of the Kamaz trucks used was booby-trapped and detonated to destroy the arms shipment, also killing Basayev. (ILKHA)