Posted on 12/30/2001 9:26:23 PM PST by Pericles
Sunday December 30 8:29 PM ET
Russian Troops, Rebels Clash in Separatist Chechnya
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian troops engaged in a big operation to flush out separatist rebels in Chechnya clashed with insurgents southeast of the regional capital Grozny on Sunday, with casualties reported on both sides.
In Ingushetia, the region adjoining Chechnya and home to some 150,000 refugees, the resignation of longstanding president Ruslan Aushev took effect. Aushev had often found himself at odds with Moscow authorities over the conflict in the region.
RTR state television said clashes erupted in Kurchaloi district, 25 miles southeast of Grozny, a day ahead of New Year's celebrations -- Russia's biggest holiday.
It showed tanks taking part in a ``special operation'' and quoted Russia's top officer in Chechnya, General Vladimir Moltenskoi, as saying a member of the FSB domestic intelligence agency had been killed. Eight other servicemen were injured.
RTR said 14 rebels had been killed, bringing to 50 the total it said had died in several days of operations in areas leading into the Argun gorge, an area of high rebel activity.
Footage showed a row of what it said were rebels' bodies as well as captured fighters. Itar-Tass news agency quoted the military as saying that troops had sealed off three villages.
Interfax news agency said rebels had shot dead a man and a woman southwest of Grozny, but gave no further details.
Moscow says its forces control all of mainly Muslim Chechnya on Russia's southern flank, but rebels mount nearly daily attacks. Other prime targets are residents working with a local pro-Moscow administration set up last year.
Western countries have toned down criticism of the Russian campaign since Moscow backed the U.S.-led anti-terrorism coalition. But human rights groups accuse Russian troops of excesses, particularly during operations to flush out rebels.
The rebel Web site www.kavkaz.org reported clashes throughout the region and said it had killed eight ``traitors.''
More than 3,000 Russian servicemen have died in Moscow's second post-Soviet bid to crush separatism. It withdrew troops in 1996 after defeat in a two-year war and granted the region de facto independence, but dispatched them again three years later.
Kremlin officials and rebel representatives met briefly in November in the first contacts aimed at a political solution but so far no concrete results have been achieved.
RTR said Aushev's resignation, announced last Friday, went into effect at noon.
Aushev, a veteran of the 1979-89 Soviet Afghan campaign, said he was quitting early because authorities had refused his proposal to hold early presidential polls next year. He had frequently criticized Kremlin policy, calling for a political solution in Chechnya and for improved conditions for refugees.
Aushev became Ingushetia's leader in 1992 and had already stepped down once in 1997, but won re-election a year later after being persuaded to run.
The Chechens are starting to sell each other out to the Russians.
http://www.bcsys.com/warning/Movie_0006d77f.IETemp.mov
Shows the "peaceful and loving" religion of Islam in action.
I watched it earlier today and have been bothered by it all day. It is particularly gruesome. I hope I don't have nightmares from it - and I thought I was a tough person, able to handle just about anything.....
It is incredible, the inhumanity of some "men".
any suggestions on anything else that could be going on?
I can think of people who deserve to die that way and via worse ways, but I can say I could not do it, nor would I want to witness it. I know that now, having watched that.
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