Exact number of attackers in Ingushetia unknown

A press conference devoted to the report launched by Amnesty International "Russian Federation: Chechen Republic - "Normalization" in whose eyes?" was held in Moscow on June 23. It was noted during the press conference that "disappearances" of people, arbitrary detentions and extrajudicial executions, as well as attacks of Chechen armed opposition groups still take place in the republic.

The situation in neighboring Ingushetia has considerable changed for the last year, reads the report. Before Chechens escaping from the conflict and abuses accompanying it were able to flee to Ingushetia. And now Russian and Chechen security agencies conduct special operations leading to complete "disappearances" of people here too.

Commenting on the clashes that took place in Ingushetia on the night of June 21-22, Aleksandr Cherkasov of the Human Rights Center Memorial noted that information on the number of the attackers (approximately 200 people) spread by the press had been checked by no one. (Meanwhile, the Ingushetia.ru website has reported referring to the Ingush presidential administration that the number of the attackers reached 1,500.) Aleksandr Cherkasov also called reports about Ingush rebels into question. According to information he had, only one group acting in the area of the Nazran market was made up of Ingushetians, the composition of the other groups was mixed. Clashes in Nazran ended at 3 a.m., in the settlement of Karabulak did at 3:15 a.m., but the search for the rebels was launched much later," Mr Cherkasov said. That is why it is early to speak about the attackers' nationality.

Editors note: See also the article "Amnesty International holds press conference in Moscow".