Fighting in Chechnya Kills at Least 11 (Basayev on the rampage -- Moscow on alert)

Kansascity.com ^ | February 2, 2004 | Yuri Bagrov

[Fusion]

Rebel attacks and land mines killed at least 11 Russian servicemen and pro-Moscow Chechen police officers in Chechnya over a 24-hour period, an official in the region's Kremlin-backed administration said Monday.

Four of the Russian soldiers were killed and five others were wounded in rebel attacks on Russian outposts across Chechnya, the official said on condition of anonymity.

Three servicemen died in separate skirmishes with rebels in Chechnya's southern mountains, and two were killed Sunday when their fuel-laden truck hit a land mine and exploded in a giant fireball outside the village of Samashki, the official said.

On Monday, the bodies of two Chechen policemen with gunshot wounds were found on a street in the capital, Grozny, the official said.

Russian artillery, meanwhile, shelled suspected rebel hideouts in several parts of Chechnya, he said, adding that Russian forces also detained some 170 Chechen residents since Sunday.

In the eastern Gudermes region, federal authorities killed a suspected rebel warlord and detained several accomplices, Russian military spokesman Ilya Shabalkin told the Interfax news agency.

Russian troops left Chechnya after a disastrous 1994-1996 war against separatist rebels that killed tens of thousands of people and left the mostly Muslim region with de facto independence.

The Russian army rolled back into the region in September 1999 after Chechen rebels attacked a neighboring province, and after the Kremlin blamed militants for apartment-building bombings that killed some 300 people in Russian cities.

[Fusion]

Moscow has made a huge mistake in returning South of the Terek River after promising to withdraw. Secretary of State Powell with egg on his face after being sandbagged by Putin.

This bodes ill for the West. When Basayev strikes it will disrupt financial markets already strained and under pressure from Islamic oil market manipulations. Cooler heads must prevail and force Putin to honour his agreement to pull back to the new DMZ.

The forces of freedom on the move. Europe trembles.

[GeronL]

I cannot believe that Russia would fight for 10 years over Chechnya... war is not good and an unnecessary war is just stupid.

If the Chechens had peacefully declared secession Moscow would have been better off saying "good riddance"...I think they may have made things worse.

Anyway, its too late to change their minds now.

[Destro]

cannot believe that Russia would fight for 10 years over Chechnya

Russia will.

[Destro]

So the Chechens have been reduced to hit and runs and land mine attacks? Ooooo scary. Land mines don't win wars.

[Bobibutu]

http://www.rosbaltnews.com/2004/01/23/65432.html

why?

[GeronL]

After the fall of the Soviet Union nations and republics were leaving in droves... why did Russia decide to draw the line in Chechnya?

[Fusion]

In the streets of Moscow they whisper the news: "Shamil is coming to town... he is on the way..." The underground Chechen community prepares for the one legged visitor carrying but a single suitcase. The women and children have moved outside the city -- the men stock up on weapons and food...

For Putin has reneged on the peace agreement and now the peace conference is threatened. Russian troops have returned South of the Terek river and Shamil Basayev has taken the gloves off...

Meanwhile veteran Eastern Holy Warriors, unleashed by the Basayev Offensive, rip through the Russian conscripts. Scores of Russian Federation youth killed in the last 24 hours. Basayev has threatened massive car bomb strikes in the North before opening his luggage as hundreds of international martyrs/fighters have now joined his battle...

Putin nothing but another Moscow thug wearing a cheap suit and a bad haircut. He has spit on America and the White House by reneging on the State Department's deal.

Now Basayev will have his say. What is the price of oil today -- a month from today?

The forces of freedom on the move. Europe trembles.

[Destro]

Chechnya was not a constituant republic of the old USSR.

[GeronL]

But Russia would have been better off to let them go. They are er.. were nothing like the rest of Russia. They had more in common with Armenia and Azerbajan (however thats spelled)

[RussianConservative]

Hay smelly shiete bag....guess what, it is 3 Feb in Moscow now...hmmm no Allah barf bag...what happen? Baseyov peg leg break in route with great Chechyn legion? It must make your heart warm when your lovers Chechyns blow up American ship in Yemen, how much monies did you send to support terrorists, hmmm Islamo? Lets play game with guns, we call it where in world is Islamo...finders get head as prize on wall.

[RussianConservative]

Chechyn had 3 years peace and did nothing to upset it except:

1. kidnap 1,500 peoples, including Americans (not that US government give damn about those missionaries).
2. ethnically butcher all remaining Christian
3. fully join Bin Laden (or is it ok if they only kill Russians, Serbs, Jews, Makedonians, Greeks, Indians, Coptics, Sudanese, Ethiopians...as long as Americans not harmed?)
4. kidnap/murder Russian general on diplomatic mission
5. blow up US Cole
6. butcher 4 employee of British Telecomp
7. butcher 11 members of red cross in Grozny
8. invade & butcher several village in province Daghistan, that was minister of defense who lead invasion: Baseyov and video take massacres.

9. blow up 3 apartment building 10. take hostage Turkish hotels
11. blow up Moscow metro underpass
Other then that, easy to ignore poor Chechyn...oh and in 1991 they butcher and drive out 400,000 Russian, Georgian, Armenian and Jews and 450,000 fellow Chechyns....here let me give you clue, US need to get out of south California and let locals have it, that way they say good riddence and can be peaceful. Better, India need get out of Kashmere and North/Central India for Islamics. Serbs from Kosovo, Makedonians from Makedonia, Greeks from N. Greece, hell all Christians from Balkans (it all once under Islamics). Orthodox Sudanese from all Sudan, Christian Nigerians from Nigeria and Jews from Israel...then Islamics peaceful....well until next land expansion....what great idea, bow to Islam...why isn't US practice this?

[GeronL]

is that all? ... kidding..

good reasons as any not to trust them.

How many Russian FReepers do we have?

[Mr. Mojo]

Reading over your list, it appears that the Chechens and Palestinians share striking similarities.

[RussianConservative]

They have nothing in common with Armenians or turkish Azerbajanies...they by way, never live in "north" Chechnya which home to Cossaks...it is rewrite of provincial borders by Stalin.

[GeronL]

Glad to have the socio-economic/history lesson. Is there a website where I can learn more?

[Incorrigible]

Heh! Heh!

I was just getting ready to ping you RussianConservative!

Yes, it seems Baseyov is a little late delivering his message.  Perhaps he's spending a little more time in Turkey.

[luvbach1]

The lot of the Russian enlisted serviceman is a sad one: they often go unpaid; some are beaten by officers and NCOs; many lack sufficient food; equipment and clothing are inadequate; and they are frequently wounded or killed in the Chechnayan (sp?) war, and before that, 15,000 died in the misadventure in Afghanistan.When I was in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in recent years, I observed the sorry spectacle of low-ranking young Russian soldiers, in their stained and tattered uniforms, begging from the public.Of the Russian civilians approached for alms, most poor themselves, nearly all offered a few coins.

[katz]

"Rebels attack" = Islamic Radicals attack. Let's call it what it is.

[FormerLib]

The Americans and the Russians will rid this world of your pathetic "forces of freedom"! LOL!

[Husker24]

cannot believe that Russia would fight for 10 years over Chechnya

The thing is, is that if Russia gives up Chechnya, there are about 50 other terratories that would think about independance, then Russia would almost cease to exist.