The war in Chechnya goes on despite the death announced this week of top rebel warlord Shamil Basayev, said the president in the fugitive separatist government yesterday. "The war continues and, with the help of Almighty Allah, we intend to reach the victory in which we have not doubted one minute," rebel president Doku Umarov said.The threat came as the foreign minister in the rebel government, Akhmed Zakayev, announced that the guerrillas' ultimate aim was not necessarily independence, but peace and security for Chechnya, where as many as 100,000 people have been killed in two wars with Russia over the last decade. Umarov described the death of Basayev in a massive explosion near Chechnya announced on July 10 as a "heavy loss." Basayev was the rebels' most experienced guerrilla commander. He also claimed responsibility for a series of large-scale attacks on civilians, including Beslan.
| It seems we have a difference of opinion here. I thought that might be the case, since Chechenpress and Kavkaz seem to be taking different tacks. Maybe they'll fight it out? |