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| Caucasus |
| 30 Chechen hard boyz hang it up |
| 2004-04-07 |
| Thirty rebels have surrendered in Chechnya, Artur Akhmadov, chief of the headquarters of the Chechen presidential security service, told Interfax on Tuesday. "This is the result of a long and painstaking operation which we and special service officers conducted with the rebels," Akhmadov said, adding that the rebels want to be amnestied. The surrendered rebels were members of various groups active in the Achkhoi-Martan, Urus-Martan, Nozhai-Yurt and some other districts in southern Chechnya. They have handed over all their weapons and munitions. "A special-purpose examination is currently in progress and an investigation is being conducted to determine each rebel's guilt and his crimes," he said. An official report on the rebels' surrender will be issued within the next ten days following the end of the investigation. Special services are also working through mediators with rebels who were members of a group commanded by the former Chechen president's security chief Shaa Turlayev. "About 20 people are ready to leave their forest hideouts, stop their criminal activities and start living peacefully. But they want to see what will happen to Turlayev," he said. These people are obeying almost no orders from rebel commanders and are ready to follow the example of former Chechen Defense Minister Magomed Khambiyev and Turlayev, who turned themselves in to law enforcement authorities, Akhmadov said. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |