Russia kills key Chechen rebels

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/04/18/russia.rebels.reut/

Sunday, April 18, 2004 Posted: 8:18 PM EDT (0018 GMT)


MOSCOW, Russia (Reuters) -- Russian troops have killed four Chechen rebels linked to guerrilla leader Shamil Basayev near Chechnya this weekend, capping a week-long crackdown on separatists in the turbulent Caucasus region.

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More than 10 rebels, including Wahhabi militants, were killed in planned "special operations" by Russian troops in the mountainous region last week, news agencies reported.

Wahhabism is a strict Islamic sect dominant in Saudi Arabia.

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Among those reported killed was 27-year-old Magomed Khazhiyev, a religious leader of an ultra-radical Islamic Wahhabi community in Ingushetia's Sunzhensky region.

Russia says it bringing Chechnya, where it has fought separatist guerrillas for nine years, under control and says it is reducing its troop levels and heavy weaponry. But servicemen and police are killed daily.

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In 8 years, the last paragraph will read America and Iraq.

On the other hand - this seems to be turning into a trend.

I mean, they're being treated like Palestinians. Come on, let's hear the outrage.

Apples and Oranges.

he wasn't exactly the nicest person.

I guess it depends on how the people with the biggest weapons define terrorists.

they just want their country.

But in Chechnya it's not as clear... There are oil interests, which is probably why this whole problem started.

The situations are very different. Different histories of conflict, very different relationships between the terrorist "fringe" and the main bulk of the population.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_19-4-2004_pg7_44

Top Arab militant in Chechnya killed: Arab TV

DUBAI: Arab television station Al Arabiya said on Sunday that the leader of Arab fighters in Chechnya, Saudi-born Abu al-Waleed al-Ghamdi, had been killed in the rebel Russian region.

An official at Dubai-based Al Arabiya said the channel received the news from sources close to Ghamdi’s family in Saudi Arabia who declined to give any details except that the family was receiving condolences.

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The Kremlin believes Abu al-Waleed was also among those behind the 1999 apartment bombings across Russia that prompted President Vladimir Putin to send troops back into Chechnya. —Reuters

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Apparently this was one of the top guys, was in Afganistan fighting the soviets in the 80's, and the leader of the Arab Muslims in Chechnya for the past some odd years.