Chechen people belong to the South Russian regions between the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea. Chechens have been fighting for their sovereignty for many years. But Russian control had denied them the right of self-rule until 1991 when Chechnya declared its independence. The Russian army has been attacking Chechen lands mainly due to their strong belief in Islam. During the Second World War, when Russians asked the Chechens to fight against the Germans, many Chechens fled from the USSR and spread out into Central Asia.