20:12, 21 May 2005

Crisis in Chechnya continues

Up to 20 federal servicemen were killed and at least 15 wounded in Chechnya's southern districts in the past two days, Chechen separatist website Kavkaz-Center said on May 21.

According to the website, combats occurred in the Kurchaloi, Vedeno, Urus-Martan and Nozhai-Yurt districts, including in the settlements of Urus-Martan, Vedeno, Dyshne-Vedeno, Nikikhat, Yalkhoi-Mokhk, etc. Three rebels were killed and four wounded. One federal combat infantry vehicle and three trucks were destroyed.

Meanwhile, Chechnya's Internal Affairs Ministry told RIA Novosti on 20 May 14 rebels had been killed in Grozny's Oktiabrskii district, Chechnya's Shelkovskaia district, and Starye Atagi, Grozny district. Internal Affairs Ministry Spokesman Ruslan Atsayev said those destroyed included influential leaders of gangs, so-called emirs of communities: Alash Daudov (emir of the Amanat group), Rasul Khiderlezov and Isa Takalayev (Shelkovskaia district), and Adam Khabirov (deputy emir of the Grozny district).

Two rebels broke into Vakha Mezhidov's house in Starye Atagi on 18 May, having been blocked by law enforcement and security agencies. The latter at once fired machineguns, grenade-launchers and other weapons at it. The Mezhidovs barely managed to get their two underage children out of the house. Both rebels were killed, but the Mezhidovs' house was completely destroyed with all their assets, a Starye Atagi resident told Caucasian Knot. Sultan Abubakarov, CK correspondent.

Two local residents, Deni Vagiyev, 57, and Rustam Turayev, 24, left Grozny's Oktiabrskii district on a Zhiguli car in the morning on 14 May and have since been missing, the Council of Nongovernmental Organisations says.

A group of armed persons abducted the father and son Sadulayev from their own home in Grozny's Oktiabrskii district at dawn on 11 May. The criminals drove several cars without registration number plates, according to the abducted men's neighbours.

Armed people in camouflage uniforms abducted Hussein Aigumov, 50, in Alkhan-Kala in the afternoon on 6 May, according to local residents. The abductors drove Zhiguli cars without registration number plates.

Two underage girls have been missing in Chechnya, the republican Internal Affairs Ministry said today. Khedi Abasov, 13, went out of doors in Jalka, Gudermes district, several days ago and has since been missing. Kheda Gutsayev, 15, has been missing in Grozny's Chernorechie community.

The Committee for the Protection of the Constitutional Rights of Citizens of Chechnya says a special commission is being established to search for the missing and abducted in the republic.

More than 2,500 people are officially considered missing in Chechnya. Sultan Abubakarov, CK correspondent.

More about Chechnya:

Impunity: A Leading Force behind Continued Massive Violations in Chechnya