Special operation on Ingush-Chechen border reminds of Kremlin's role in conflict

A special operation on the border between Chechnya and Ingushetia was sanctioned by Moscow and used to prevent Ingush activists from entering the disputed territories, noted rights defender Magomed Mutsolgov. The conflict resolution is entrusted to the local authorities and the special operation is not connected with it, believes Sergey Goncharov, the president of the International Association of Veterans of the Alpha Anti-Terror Group.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on November 17, law enforcers prevented Ingush activists from holding a subbotnik (a voluntary cleanup day) on the border territories. Meanwhile, according to a source from the law enforcement bodies of Chechnya, on November 16, more than 600 law enforcers were transferred to the territories bordering on Ingushetia. On November 16, the website of the Security Council of Ingushetia reported that the mountain-wooded part of the Sunzha District of the republic continues to remain a zone of the counterterrorist operation (CTO).

The special operation has been announced to prevent possible activists' attempts to enter the disputed territories, believes Magomed Mutsolgov, the head of the organization "Mashr".

According to Magomed Mutsolgov, the special operation is being carried out at the initiative of the local authorities with the approval of the federal centre.

In turn, Sergey Goncharov, the president of the International Association of Veterans of the Alpha Anti-Terror Group, believes that the special operation is not connected with the problem of establishing the borders between Ingushetia and Chechnya.

"There is some tension in connection with the signing of the border agreement. But no one should say that now the federal centre or the local authorities are allegedly trying to carry out some operations in connection with the problem of the borders. The operations of the National Antiterrorist Committee (NAC) are carried out for certain reasons against terrorism," Sergey Goncharov believes.

He has also ruled out that the federal centre can conduct special operations to solve the problem of the borders and noted that the settlement of the conflict is entrusted to the local authorities.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on November 22, 2018 at 05:16 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.