Mop-up operations in villages Elistanzhi, Khattuni, MakhketyRuslan Isayev, North Caucasus - The Russian military was contucting a large-scale "mopping-up operation" in Chechen villages Elistanzi, Khattuni, and Makhety from March 16 till March 20. These villages, located in the Vedeno district in southeast Chechnya, were sealled off from all parts and until the operation was completed, no information leaked from there.
On March 21 the military began to release women with a residence permit in other villages. One of the freed women said that the military began encircling the villages early in the morning, when everybody was sleeping. Masked soldiers were jumping out of armoured personnel carriers, breaking into houses and detaining all males.
The males were transported to a GRU base near Khattuni. Some of the detainees were freed during the day, however, they had been severely beaten. Many of the detainees had been chased by dogs or tortured by electricity.
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