I don’t believe it’s nearly as fluid as you’re claiming. Iran doesn’t generally support Sunni organizations, and Saudi Arabia doesn’t to my knowledge ever support Shias. These two sects of Islam hate one another at least as much as they hate non-Muslim “infidels.” Furthermore, Iran perceives the Chechens (not incorrectly) as clients of their Saudi enemies. At one point, the Saudis even tried to strike a deal with Putin where they offered to stop aiding Chechen and Dagestani jihadis if Putin stopped aiding Assad in Syria.
I can’t with 100% certainty say that I am correct, but when al Qaeda operates in an area for years on end, and then ISIS pops up in the same exact location, it’s hard for me to think they’re not jumping between squads.
They are supposed to be different sects. Sure doesn’t look like it on game day.
It’s more about power and pay for play IMO.
It’s why they can’t seem to hold squads together too.
ISIS was pretty large at one point. It came out of nowhere and vaporized about as quickly.