Chechen Interior Minister admits that youngsters continues to leave to militants

On September 30, in the course of the meeting with the bosses of local power agencies in Grozny, Ruslan Alkhanov, the MIA head, said that from the start of the year 84 militants were killed in the territory of the republic. He also noted that for the same period, according to power agents, 43 young men joined the armed underground, and 11 of them left for the forest and mountains in September.

"This year, we have liquidated 84 participants of band formations, including 12 persons - this September, of them - 3 bandit leaders. Also, in joint operations in the territories of the Republics Ingushetia and Dagestan, 16 members of bandit groups were liquidated," said Mr Alkhanov.

He added that in the same period power agents managed to prevent 16 terror acts.

Making comments on Minister's statement about "84 liquidated militants", a member of a local human rights organization has expressed doubts as to truthfulness of these data.

"The point is that power agents have long ago made their practice to announce every person murdered by them to be a militant, a terrorist or a helper. For example, take the case, which Natalia Estemirova (an employee of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial", kidnapped and assassinated on July 15, - comment of the "Caucasian Knot") investigated shortly before her death: the execution of a man by power agents in the eyes of numerous witnesses in Akhkinchu-Borzoy village, having accused him of helping 'shaitans'," said the human rights activist.