Kadyrov's forces "mop up" Vedeno district
Ruslan Isayev, North Caucasus, February 1 – During the past ten days the situation in the Vedeno district, southeastern Chechnya, has considerably deteriorated.
Two columns of armed units controlled by Ramzan Kadyrov, self-styled vice-premier of the Moscow-backed Chechen government, entered the district center of Vedeno on January 20.
That same day Moguyev, head of the district police, was replaced by Musa Dekhiyev, who arrived with the units. And twelve local policemen were also dismissed.
This so-called measure of revealing fighters and their sympathizers is being carried out in most of the district’s villages. Non-authorized searches take place in many homes and the number of night raids has sharply increased.
The sudden appearance of these “Kadyrovites” in Vedeno is linked to Kadyrov’s recent statement that “regional authorities are practically non-functional and partly cooperate with Chechen guerrillas.”
According to human rights activists who visited Vedeno, “Kadyrovites” take away items that can be stored for a long period of time - either for their own use or to prevent fighters from using them.
The population is understandably frightened and prefers not to leave their homes unless absolutely necessary. On January 22, a young woman and distant relative of Chechen guerrilla commander Shamil Basayev, was abducted by armed assailants and returned home the next morning badly beaten.
A few female relatives of guerrillas were also abducted from the Deragoi settlement in the Vedeno district, and so far no information is known about their fate.
Human rights activists who visited the district stress that there are far more cases such as these, but locals are afraid to provide any information fearing retaliation against their families.
(MK/E,T)
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