Military reports success

Denilbek Eskiyev, one of the most influential field commanders and emir of the Gudermes district, was blocked and destroyed in a skirmish in Gerzel, Gudermes district, on 15 May 2005, Chechnya's Internal Affairs Ministry told Interfax on Sunday. The ministry emphasised he was responsible for the organisation of terrorist acts and the recruitment of new groups.

Eskiyev who was searched for under Article 205 "Terrorism" of the Russian Criminal Code is reported to have been preparing a number of terrorist acts in Chechnya and Dagestan, scheduled for early May, but later put off until later this month, RIA Novosti says. He is also said to have been involved in numerous grave crimes against Chechen civilians, Lenta.ru says.

The Regional Operations Headquarters for the Counter-terrorist Operation in the North Caucasus (ROH) claims the killed rebel leader personally participated in preparing and executing a number of terrorist acts against representatives of republican government bodies, law enforcement agencies, and federal forces.

Besides, the ROH says Eskiyev personally kidnapped children in Dagestan and kept them in Novogroznenskoye, Gudermes district.

• Costs of war
• Chechnya overridden