| 2 August 2003 Air strikes on mountainous Chechnya go unabated On July 30-31, the Russian air force carried out carpet-bombing of the vicinities of several villages in Shatoi and Nozhai-Yurt districts of the republic. The air bombing carpeted a forestland nearby Ulus-Kert, Duba-Yurt as well as other villages in Shatoi district and the vicinity of Alkhan-Kotar of Nozhai-Yurt. The locals complained that the Russian forces used rockets and bombs of high-power. "I thought our house was about to get shattered into splinters," told Ikhvan Alkhanov, a 46-year-old inhabitant of Ulus-Kert. "The house seemed to be rocked, rattled, swung open and blasted". The locals had to rescue in the basements and shelters. Some people believe the bombs were what they call "depth charge" bombs. Nobody knows what caused those air raids. "Thus far it was a very calm place," locals of Shatoi district affirmed. "Now it is not clear what's going on. The airplanes regularly bomb forestlands and gorges, though there were no firefights no assaults on Russian servicemen in this area. Who is the target? Meanwhile the locals are very much frightened ". According to the Russian forces commandment in Khankala announced that July 30 a base of Chechen militants in Ulus-Kert was targeted for air bombing affirms, at that on July 29, a base of Rabbany Khalilov's group was hit and destroyed in the vicinity of Alkhan-Kotar of Nozhai-Yurt district. "As a result of the recent air strikes several bases of the terrorists had been destroyed. At least near Ulus-Kert separatists have had 15 casualties. The air forces hit spotted targets, so the civilians should not be worried," said one of the staff officers". Ruslan Adayev, Chechnya Caucasus Times |