Civil and military authorities in Chechnya mark increased militants' activity

During several last weeks, the militants undertook a number of serious sallies and diversion-terrorist actions in the territory of the Chechen Republic. On October 19, Alu Alkhanov, president of Chechnya, stated another aggravation of situation in the Republic. A meeting held on October 12 in Grozny with participation of Chechen leadership, representatives of local power agencies and Russian military command was another evidence of the seriousness of events that are unfolding in Chechnya.

"The activity of bandit formations may be a result of huge monetary funds that they have received," Alu Alkhanov said. He added that during the last two weeks the territory of the Republic was the venue of nine shelling episodes, eight explosions and three armed collisions, as a result of which 12 members of power units were wounded. No data on perished servicemen and local militiamen was announced.

We remind you that on October 17, an armed collision took place between a group of militants and servicemen of the "Sever" (North) battalion of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of Russia in the Achhoj-Martan District of the Republic, in the vicinity of the Korat-Yurt village. On the following day, in the outskirts of the village, two servicemen were killed and four more wounded in a skirmish with militants.

A day before, in the Shali District of the country, the fighters of the "Zapad" (West) special-purpose ("spetsnaz") battalion of the Chief Reconnaissance Agency ("GRU") detected a militants' base. In the course of an armed collision, two militants were killed and three spetsnaz fighters were wounded. On October 14, at the dwelling settlement of Mesedoj, the Vedeno District, militants swept a group of military sappers. One serviceman was wounded. A day before, in the neighbouring Shali District, two other servicemen were wounded as a result of an explosion.

Another fact is indicative of a relative militants' freedom of action in the Republic. According to local residents, on October 13, at the entrance to the district capital Shatoj, a group of militants in camouflage uniform set up their own block post. For a long period of time, they were stopping the passing motor vehicles and checking personal documents. One of militiamen who presented his credentials to them was shot dead.

"Whatever the local authorities and servicemen say today, "the rumours about the death of armed Resistance" seem strongly exaggerated," Hasan, representative of one of local human rights organizations, believes.