23:04, 6 February 2007

Yandarbiev's allies who surrendered in January to Chechen authorities were not at war

Three nephews of Zelimkhan Yandarbiev, former vice-president of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria (ChRI), who surrendered on January 12 this year to the authorities of Chechnya, were engaged only in the issues of his guarding.

On January 12, 2007, two days prior to expiry of the amnesty announced last autumn for to participants of combat operations in North Caucasus by the State Duma of Russia, 12 militants surrendered in Chechnya. Three of them were nephews of Zelimkhan Yandarbiev, former vice-president of the ChRI, killed as a result of the act of terrorism in the capital of Qatar in February 2004.

The authorities of Chechnya presented this fact as large success in the cause of returning former militants to peace life. It was especially emphasized that the surrendered persons were closest allies of Zelimkhan Yandarbiev the nearest colleagues. However, Amirkhan Yandarbiev, Vakhid Yandarbiev and Varudi Davletgiriev carried out the functions of bodyguards of Zelimkhan Yandarbiev. Even this was during the period from 1995 to 1999 year, that is before the start of the "counterterrorist operation."

Author: Sultan Abubakarov, CK correspondent