23:47, 3 February 2004

Explosion in Shali district leaves three servicemen dead

Two landmines detonated in the village of Avtury, Chechnya's Shali district, on February 2. The first explosion took place on a road about 100 meters from the settlement. The other one was set off on the road to Shali not far from a bridge. The landmine detonated when a Russian armored troop-carrier was passing by, which caused the death of three servicemen.

Shortly after the explosion, officers of federal security agencies along with officers of Chechen President Akhmad Kadyrov's security service conducted a special operation to detain persons suspected of the act of sabotage. Apti Saltakhanov, a high school student, and Shamil Alimsultanov, 1980, were detained in their houses, without corresponding procedural documents being drawn up. The detainees were conveyed to the military unit stationed in the buildings of a former poultry farm.

Meanwhile, the military stated to relatives of the detainees the latter were not on the territory of the former farm. Many residents of Avtury gathered at the gates of the former farm, demanding that the young men should be released.

Source: Society for Russian-Chechen Friendship