CHECHNYA LINKS LIBRARY

Military and police sweep western Chechnya

By Ruslan Isayev

CHECHNYA – More than 1,000 soldiers have taken part in a major operation in Chechnya’s Achkhoi-Martan district. Peoples' documents are being checked and special attention is being paid to families that contain male members.

Chechen policemen keep an eye out on matters and so far local residents have made no complaints about any human rights violations.

According to eyewitnesses, 10 young people from the Samashki village were detained for not having registration permits in their passports; six were immediately released but the others are still in custody.

A similar operation was reported from the neighbouring village of Zakan-Yurt although no one has been arrested; most of the villagers assume its because Musa Dadayev, the local administrative head, lives there.

The size of these operations imply that there might be a major guerrilla leader somewhere in the vicinity. That could be Doka Umarov, who was seen in the bordering Ingush village of Arshti several days earlier.

However, many of the soldiers and policemen do not know the exact reason behind this. It is also not known how long the operations will continue.

(MG/E,T)