14:18, 14 April 2004

Russian military command: murderers of 9 Duba-Yurt residents established

The March 27 murder of nine peaceful residents of the Duba-Yurt settlement, Chechnya, was perpetrated by the gangs of Rapani Khalilov (subordinate to Basayev) and Akhmed Avdorkhanov (subordinate to Maskhadov). RIA Novosti learnt this on Wednesday from spokesman for the regional headquarters on the counter-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus Colonel Ilya Shabalkin.

In his words, the 30-strong gangs of the so-called "field commanders" Khalilov and Avdorkhanov committed this inhuman action to intimidate residents of the Duba-Yurt settlement on March 27.

At night, the bandits kidnapped and murdered nine residents of the settlement. The police discovered the bodies of the victims near the Serzhen-Yurt settlement of the Shali district on April 9, noted Mr Shabalkin.

According to Chechen law-enforcers, the murder came as vengeance for the victims' refusal to provide food to the bandits.

According to operative reports, this was why the bandits were instructed by their leaders to carry out this operation, the spokesman said.

Editors note: See also the articles "Duba-Yurt residents abducted, held at Russian base in Khankala, then found dead", "Human Rights Watch: amid evidence of new atrocities, UN Human Rights Commission must take action".

Source: RIA Novosti