Islam Shakhbanov, a Russian jihadist, has set up a sushi restaurant in Syria’s rebel-held northwest, as the conflict begins to wind down and fighters seek new sources of income. Shakhbanov, from the Muslim-majority Dagestan republic, arrived in Syria in 2015 to participate in the jihad. However, with the Syrian government regaining control over most of the country and the frontlines largely frozen, many foreign fighters are out of work. Shakhbanov fought alongside jihadist factions and the Faylaq al-Sham rebel group until about five years ago.
Shakhbanov said he had lived in several countries, including Pakistan, Afghanistan, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia, and was inspired to open ‘Sushi Idlib’ after trying Japanese food on his travels. The sushi restaurant is the first of its kind in conservative Idlib, the last major rebel stronghold in Syria, where many people rely on humanitarian aid. The enclave has about three million people, around half of whom are displaced by the 12-year war.
Shakhbanov imports many of his ingredients from Turkey, such as pickled ginger, soy sauce, prawns, and crab. Although Japanese cuisine is unusual in the impoverished enclave, Shakhbanov bills his seaweed rolls as ‘affordable.’ At first, the restaurant struggled to attract customers, but he now has about a dozen regulars and hopes to add fried dishes to the menu to attract more customers.
Shakhbanov’s sushi restaurant survived the February 6 earthquake that destroyed buildings and killed tens of thousands in Turkey. Behind the counter, two chefs, also former fighters from Russia, chop fresh salmon and cucumber, spread the ingredients onto a bed of rice and seaweed before pressing everything into a roll.
Although he enjoys running the restaurant, Shakhbanov is still willing to return to combat should divided rebel factions agree on a military strategy. He is married to a Syrian woman and has two young daughters.
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