Summary of the main news related to the conflict in Chechnya.
Monday, Feb 11
US charge d'affaires in Georgia, Philip Remler, told Georgian weekly Akhali Versia that in the Pankissi gorge there are several dozen "mujahedeens" who escaped from Afganistan and are now in touch with field commander Khattab. The head of Georgian intelligence, Avtandil Ioseliani, refused Remler's statement, calling on him to disclose the source of the information. -- RFE/RL
Tuesday, Feb 12
No major events.
Wednesday, Feb 13
A draft constitution of the Chechen Republic was submitted to the members of the Consultative Council of the pro-Moscow Chechen Administration. The draft, whose author has not been disclosed but which is atributted to Akhmad Kadyrov, says, among other things, that the republic is part of the Russian Federation, bears the name of „Chechnya“, and has two official languages, namely Russian and Chechen. -- Interfax
Thursday, Feb 14
Russian armed forces launched a two-day special operation in the villages of Starye and Novye Atagi, where a similar operation was underway between Jan 28 and Feb 5, 2002.
Friday, Feb 15
Russia is going to repatriate Chechen refugees from the Pankissi valley in Georgia only on a voluntary basis, said Jury Brazhnikov, the head of the Russian inter-ministerial delegation to Georgia, which was formed by the Russian Emergencies Ministry to prepare and control the repatriation.
Russian armed forces killed Chechen field commander Khizir Khachukayev and over a dozen of his subordinates during a special operation in the villages of Starye Atagi and Novye Atagi.
Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov told a news conference in Paris that Russia has preliminary unofficial information about the presence of citizens of the Russian Federation in the Guantanamo base in Cuba, where the USA keeps persons with alleged links to the Afgani Taleban regime and the terrorist organisation Al-Kaida. Ivanov did not disclose their nationality.
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