1.12.2003

Excesses of Russian forces in Chechnya

CHECHNYA. On 26 November at about 1700 hours a reconnaissance column setout from the village of Chinnakh in the Itumkalinsk region of Chechnyaand headed up into the mountains towards the village of Zumsoye.

According to the Chechen Committee for National Salvation’s pressservice, local inhabitants claimed that the following day Russiansoldiers forced their way into people’s houses and threatened them,causing a large number of people to flee their homes. Only two familiesremained in Zumsoye.

Likewise about half the inhabitants of the neighbouring village ofBugaroye deserted their homes. A month before this special-forcesoperation, Russian soldiers had seriously wounded an inhabitant ofZumsoye, Bakhid Bukhaev. Believing him to be dead, the soldiers dumpedhis body, only for it to be found by another Russian unit. Thanks tothem he was given immediate medical attention and survived.

PRIMA News Agency [2003-11-28-Chech-06]