Passports are checked again in Chechen capital

Residents of the Staropromyslovskiy District of Grozny have reported that in the evening on December 24 law enforcers checked their passports. A source from the Chechen Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) said that the checks are of preventive pre-holiday character. Meanwhile, residents of Grozny fear of a new militants' attack.

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was informed by residents of private houses of the Staropromyslovskiy District that several dozens police cars arrived at about 7:00 p.m. Moscow time.

"They walked down the street, visiting all the yards and households. We haven't seen such checks for a long time," said a resident of the settlement Zagriazhskiy of the Staropromyslovskiy District.

Eyewitnesses report that law enforcers were primarily interested in possible visitors or new residents in the settlement.

On the eve of New Year celebrations, fears have grown stronger in the republic of a new attack of members of illegal armed formations (IAFs) on Grozny policemen, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

"Recently, people are saying all the time that on the New Year militants may again invade Grozny. It's hard to say whether a new attack will be undertaken or not, similar to what happened on December 4; however, many of my friends have decided not to go to the Republic's New Year Tree on the eve of the new year," Seda Kh., a resident of Chechnya, said on this occasion.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on the night of December 4 militants attacked policemen in Grozny. The Chechen capital was put under the counterterrorist operation regime. Most of the attackers took refuge in the House of Press, and some of them – in School No. 20; both buildings were blocked. The fight resulted in 11 killed members of the armed underground, 14 lost power agents and two civilians; 36 law enforcers were wounded.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.