On 16 January 2014, Kadyrov claimed Umarov had been killed by Russian government forces and that his grave was being sought. On 18 March 2014, the Kavkaz Center announced Umarov had been "martyred". It reported that the Command of the Caucasus Emirate confirmed Umarov's death but did not off further details, which might indicate his death either in battle or of natural reasons. Dagestani militant and Caucasus Emirate's qadi known as Ali Abu Mukhammad (Magomed Kebekov) was reportedly named as his successor. There was no immediate independent nor Russian federal confirmation, but it was the first time Umarov's death was reported by his supporters. In addition, Mukhammad confirmed Umarov's death in a video posted on YouTube. According to circulating rumors, Umarov might have been poisoned while visiting a rebel winter base in Chechnya during the fall 2013, or killed by an artillery strike also during that same period. The FSB's National Anti-Terrorism Committee issued the following statement: ""Foreign media periodically publish information about the liquidation of Doku Umarov, but the Russian special services at this moment do not have such information and will not comment on it."" On 18 July 2014, a photo showing the dead body of Umarov was published on the Instagram account of head of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov. The photo came from a militant video showing the burial of Umarov.