| Influential Chechen field commander Sulim Eldarov have given himself up to Chechen law enforcement agencies. âThe situation in Chechnya has changed, and I donât want to go against the will of the Chechen people,â Eldarov told reporters on Saturday, explaining his decision to lay down arms. He was negotiating his surrender via mediators with officials from the Chechen presidentâs security service. âNow we continue negotiations with other field commanders,â the chief-of-staff of the security service, Artur Akhmadov, said. In the first Chechen war, Eldarov led a rifle battalion of self-proclaimed Ichkeriaâs armed forces. Over the past few years, he has been leading armed rebel groups in the Nozhai-Yurt region. |