Operation to search for rebels continues in southern districts of Chechnya

The Russian military and officers of local security agencies have been conducting large-scale operations in several southern districts of Chechnya for the last few days. The region where the special operation is being conducted covers the Gudermes, Nozhay-Yurt, Vedeno, and Shatoy districts of the republic, a source at the Chechen military commandant's office reported. "The aim of the actions is to reveal, search for, and destroy the rebel gang that assaulted the village of Ishkhoy-Yurt a few days ago," the officer said.

However, residents of the villages of Meskety and Ishkhoy-Yurt in the Gudermes district, which are in the zone of the special operation, have no information about combats between rebels and federal soldiers. "Airplanes and helicopters have been flying over our village for three days. They have been bombing and firing missiles here, in the forest, and in other places. Television reports say 7 or 11 rebels have already been killed, but nobody has seen the bodies. Both federals and Kadyrov's people are conducting purges here now. But the rebels went away long ago," Abubakar, a 57-year-old resident of the Gudermes district, said.

Many people in Chechnya also hold that neither the Russian military nor local law enforcers know in fact who led the rebel group that assaulted Ishkhoy-Yurt. The military mention Akhmal Avdorkhanov. He is commander of Maskhadov's guards, and his group acts in the Kurchaloy district of Chechnya. Dagestani Rappani Khalilov, whom separatists appointed commander of the Dagestani front not long ago, stayed in the Vedeno district of Chechnya until very recently, according to some information.

Meanwhile, the news has been received in the second half of April 13 that rebels attacked a Russian military convoy in the Vedeno district of Chechnya the day before killing several servicemen and destroying three armored vehicles. The interior ministry and military commandant's office have neither confirmed nor denied this information.

Editors note: See also the article "Chechen rebels deny reports by Russian military command about combats in Gudermes district".