Aukh Ӏовх / Ӏавх
Former subdivision ofRussia
Historical era	Chechnya
• Established	In 1921, it was transferred to the Dagestan ASSR.[1]
Today part of	Russia  · Dagestan

Aukh (Chechen: Ӏовх, Ӏавх,^[2] 'Ovkh, Ӏовхойн мохк;^[2]Russian: Ау́х) is a historical region in the current republic ofDagestan, populated byChechens. Aukh encompasses parts of theNovolak,Khasavyurtovsky,Babayurtovsky andKazbekovsky districts.^[3] The Chechens of Dagestan call themselvesAukhs (ӏовхой), and speak theAukh dialect of the Chechen language.^[4]

The territories where the Nakh clans settled were inhabited in ancient times by the Vainakh tribe "Авхар". Therefore, the modernteips were not the firstChechens to master these lands.^[5]

Aukh has historically been inhabited by Chechen tribes and were mentioned by several sources of the time as Okoki, Gueni, and others. Aukh was transferred to Dagestan in 1921. Aukh was very mixed with a lot of different Chechen andIngush teips from all areas ofChechnya andIngushetia,^[6] due to this the tribes living there had several different names in Russian sources.

(Russian: Окоцкая земля) is an Old Russian term used by theRussian Tsardom to denote a Chechen feudal entity, which they encountered in the 16th century.^[7] Okotsk was one of the important allies of Russia in the North Caucasus, and had a rivalry with the other polities of Dagestan, particularly theKumyk controlledShamkalate of Tarki.^[8] It distinguished itself by being in opposition toPersian,Ottoman andCrimean hegemony over the North Caucasus, allying itself with the Russian Tsardom instead.^[9] The Prince Shikh Okotsky commanded at some point a host of 500Cossacks and 500Chechens (Aukhs), although the 500 Aukhs were part of a larger immobilized Chechen force of 1,000 infantry and 100 mounted cavalry.^[9] In the year 1583 Shikh Murza's joint Chechen-Cossack force would attack an Ottoman force traveling from Derbent to the Sea of Azov to the aid of the Crimean Khanate, the Ottoman force took significant damage which hampered their transit from Derbent to the Sea of Azov.^[9]

In the 19th century, Aukh was incorporated into theCaucasian Imamate as one of many Chechen Naibstvos (Administrative unit of the Caucasian Imamate).^[10] In 1843 the Aukh Naib district was one of the most important Naibstva, it had up to 1,500 families and could equally supply 1,500 soldiers to theCaucasian Imamate. In another report from 1857 Aukh under Naib Hatu had in total 530 warriors of which 200 were cavalry and 330 infantry.^[11][12] Another famous Naib of Aukh was Bashir-Sheikh fromEndirey who belonged to the famous Chechen-Kumyk nobility called Sala-Uzden.

In 1921, Aukh was included in theDagestan ASSR, despite the desire ofAukhs to join theChechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. According to another explanation, the reason was the entering Aukhovites fear of losing their winter pastures in the territory of theKhasavyurtovsky District. In 1943, the territory was incorporated into the Aukh district, which only lasted til February 1944, whenAukhs were ethnically cleansed from their homeland along with the rest of the Chechen nation. Part of Aukh was incorporated into the newNovolaksy district and the property and houses of the ethnically cleansed Chechens, were given toLaks free of charge. The villagesShircha-Aukh (Kalininaul) and Aukh-Aktash (Leninaul) were transferred to theKazbekovski District and the property there was given toAvars. In 1956, Chechens began to return to their historical homeland, widespread ethnic conflict ensued.^{[citation needed]}

With the permission of the authorities of theSoviet Dagestan, on October 5, 1943, the Aukhs formed their nationalAukhs district (the territory of the modern Novolaksky and part of the Kazbekovsky regions) with the center in Yaryksu-Aukh (modern Novokuli). But at the end of February 1944, the Aukhs, sharing a similar fate with otherVainakhs, were ethnically cleansed from their homeland. The authorities disbanded theAukh district, giving the land of Aukhs to other ethnic groups of Dagestan.^[13]

In the period from 1957 to 1960, the majority of Aukhs returned to theSoviet Dagestan, however, the leadership of the republic forbade them to resettle the land of their ancestors, especially in the Novolaksky and Kazbekovsky districts (only a few successfully repatriated). Due to restrictions, Aukhs began to settle in other settlements of the republic, which the authorities indicated to them (legislatively, this ban was enacted by a resolution of the Council of Ministers of theDASSR on July 16, 1958). Until 1961,Aukhs fought for their return to their native places of residence after which under the threat of a new ethnic cleansing, they had to temporarily abandon their claims.^[13]

Aukhs never abandoned attempts to return their former dwellings occupied byAvars andLaks. The resulting interethnic tension led to clashes, sometimes with tragic consequences. In 1964, Aukhs made another attempt to return to their native homeland, acting in an organized manner and emphasizing the peaceful nature of their action. The leadership of the Soviet Dagestan was confused and declared these actions “riots”, although no repressive measures were taken against the participants in the events then. Once again, Aukhs tried to return to their homes in 1976 and 1985 in the village of Chapaevo (Chech. Keshen-Evla), and in 1989 in many native Aukh villages. In response to these actions, the local party leadership began to turn the Avars and Laks against the Aukhs. On July 3, 1989, a rally was organized demanding the renewed cleansing of Aukhs from Dagestan.^[14]

• Baybulatov, Irbaykhan — senior lieutenant and battalion commander of the Soviet Union during WW2, awarded the titleHero of the Soviet Union posthumously
• Beterbiev, Artur — current unified light-heavyweight boxing champion.
• Nuradilov, Khanpasha — Soviet machine gunner,Hero of the Soviet Union recipient
• Otarsultanov, Dzhamal — Olympic wrestler, won the gold medal inmen's freestyle 55 kg at the2012 London Olympics
• Saitiev, Adam — freestyle wrestler, multiple World and European champion and winner for gold at the2000 Summer Olympics at 85 kg cat.
• Saitiev, Buvaisar — widely considered the greatest freestyle wrestler of all time,^[16] deputy in theState Duma representing Dagestan.
• Saritov, Albert — Olympic wrestler,2016 Olympics bronze medalist.
• Şahin, Ramazan — Olympic wrestler,2008 Olympics gold medalist.
• Zhabrailov, Elmadi — Olympic wrestler,1992 Olympics silver medalist.
• Zhabrailov, Alikhan — Freestyle wrestler,2021 European Wrestling Championships gold medalist.
• Zhamalov, Razambek — Olympic wrestler,2024 Olympics gold medalist.

• Ибрагимов, Х. И.; Тишков, В. А.; Осмаев, А. Д.; Устинова, М. Я., eds. (2006).Чеченская Республика и чеченцы: история и современность [Chechen Republic and Chechens: history and modernity] (in Russian). М.: Наука. pp. 1–575.ISBN 5-02-034016-2.

• History of Chechnya
• History of Dagestan
• Aukh

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