SRChF/CP: Press release No. 370 (old people die after shelling and looting)

INFORMATION CENTER OF THE SOCIETY OF RUSSIAN-CHECHEN FRIENDSHIP

Press release No. 370, March 5, 2003

Serzhen-Yurt is under bombardment: old people die of heart attacks.
Robbery in the village Serzhen-Yurt.
After a military operation of Russian soldiers a resident of Argun had a stroke.

Report from the Chechen Republic

Shali district

Serzhen-Yurt is under bombardment: old people die of heart attacks

On March 4, 2003 the village Serzhen-Yurt of Shali district was subject to a heavy bombardment on the side of federal units. It is necessary to remark that federals used to fire at the settlement almost every morning - as a rule shelling starts at 04.55 a.m. and lasts for about 10 minutes. Soldiers aim at the outskirts of the village, but quite often shells get into the yards of the houses and kitchen gardens, and sometimes damage buildings. Comparatively small number of victims among local residents can be easily explained by the fact that civilians have long got accustomed to spending nights in the basement rooms. No armed formations in the settlement resist federal units. On March 4, 2003 houses of Khalim Suleimanov, aged 84, and his neighbor Idris Isaev were partly destroyed. Half of Suleimanov's house was completely ruined. In the result of stress 76-year-old Suleimanov's wife, Satsita Isaeva and Kammalt Isaeva had a stroke, and at present their state of health is considered by medics to be serious.

Regular bombardments of the place have lead to heart attacks among other elderly village residents. A week ago Aiubov Ibragim Saidovich (62 years old), Soltakh Yandaev (72 years old), Aslambek Salkhaev (born in 1942), Magomadov Musa Movsarovich (62 years old) had strokes. Aslambek Shakhgiriev went through a heart attack on February 13, 2003.

On February 22, 2003 Khalidov German Sanfievich died after a stroke.

On February 27, 2003 65-year-old Soltakh Gabataeva died of heart seizure. Stress in the course of bombardment caused death of 78-year-old Girimsolta Zakaev.

Civilians suppose that firing is carried out from the place of dislocation of regiment No. 80. Still soldiers deny their being involved in village bombardment.

(From our correspondent.).

Robbery in the village Serzhen-Yurt

On March 4, 2003 in the village Serzhen-Yurt unknown people in masks and camouflage arrived in several cars "Niva" without state numbers and broke into the house of Sala Zukharaev at 26 Aslambek Sharipov St. They demanded gold and a car "Zhiguli" (model 9) from the man. The robbers spoke both Russian and Chechen. They seized digital camera and in 20 minutes drove away in the unknown direction.

(From our correspondent.).

After a military operation of Russian soldiers a resident of Argun had a stroke

In the town Argun after the notorious events on March 1, 2003, when soldiers burnt several private houses (see press-release No. 368), Umasha Cheshkieva had a stroke. At present her state of health is considered to be very serious.

(From our correspondent.).

Editor in chief Stanislav Dmitriyevsky.
Editor of this edition Oksana Bazhina.

This edition has been put out with the support of The National Endowment for Democracy, as part of their "Russian- Chechen Information Partnership".

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