Navid
03-11-2004, 03:18 PM
The chechens being beaten to a pulp and with all the leaders slowly dying off.. infact the only rebels names i reconognize now that are still alive are shamil (hes crippled) and mashadove. the rest are dead.. .. the chechen ex leadership is starting to surrender!!i believe when shamil is killed and mashadove surrenders or is killed.. this war in all its form will be over.. godo job russia!! woot
Surrendered Chechen rebel wants to work for Moscow
By Oliver Bullough
MOSCOW (*******) - A Chechen rebel leader who surrendered this week said Thursday he wants to switch sides and work for the region's pro-Moscow government, in what looked to be a major propaganda coup for President Vladimir Putin.
Magomed Khambiyev was defense minister in Aslan Maskhadov's separatist government which ran a de facto independent Chechnya from 1997 to 1999.
Putin has launched a drive by Russia to crush Chechen separatism and is resolved to destroy the remnants of Maskhadov's administration.
Russian media have trumpeted Khambiyev's capture, days ahead of Putin's certain re-election victory, as a blow to Chechen rebels.
The rebels said Khambiyev gave himself up only after forces loyal to Chechnya's pro-Moscow president, Akhmed Kadyrov, seized 30 of his relatives and threatened to kill them.
"If my help is required, I will give full support to Kadyrov and will serve honestly, as I served honestly when I was defense minister for Maskhadov," Khambiyev told reporters in Chechnya, according to Interfax news agency.
"I fought Russia for 13 years and decided to stop because the people now just want peace and quiet. I found out the opinion of my people, I found out the opinion of my neighbors, and they asked me to lay down my arms."
Kadyrov was a fellow rebel who changed sides shortly after Putin sent Russian forces back into Chechnya in 1999. Kadyrov says he needs to employ former separatists as they are the only people who understand the rebel mentality.
Putin's 1999 promise to restore order in the mountainous region on Russia's southern fringe was a hugely popular move that propelled him to the presidency four years ago.
But the war has ground on throughout Putin's first term and the surrender was a rare piece of good news from the region in the final stages of the election campaign.
Khambiyev's brother, speaking in Strasbourg, France Wednesday, said the rebel's surrender was not voluntary.
"As a brother, I understand the decision behind Magomed's deed, which was to sacrifice himself for the lives of his relatives," said Umar Khambiyev, who lives in Western Europe.
"We know that there is not a criminal act which Russian forces will not commit to weaken the forces of the opposition and decapitate the Chechen state."
Magomed Khambiyev's surrender was the second major prize for Russian forces in Chechnya this month, following the killing of rebel leader Ruslan Gelayev 10 days ago. Top rebels Maskhadov and Shamil Basayev remain on the run.
"I wish Maskhadov were here today, along with me," said Khambiyev, who denied the army had taken his relatives hostage.
03/11/04 09:54 ET
Copyright 2003 ******* Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of ******* content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of *******. ******* shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
Surrendered Chechen rebel wants to work for Moscow
By Oliver Bullough
MOSCOW (*******) - A Chechen rebel leader who surrendered this week said Thursday he wants to switch sides and work for the region's pro-Moscow government, in what looked to be a major propaganda coup for President Vladimir Putin.
Magomed Khambiyev was defense minister in Aslan Maskhadov's separatist government which ran a de facto independent Chechnya from 1997 to 1999.
Putin has launched a drive by Russia to crush Chechen separatism and is resolved to destroy the remnants of Maskhadov's administration.
Russian media have trumpeted Khambiyev's capture, days ahead of Putin's certain re-election victory, as a blow to Chechen rebels.
The rebels said Khambiyev gave himself up only after forces loyal to Chechnya's pro-Moscow president, Akhmed Kadyrov, seized 30 of his relatives and threatened to kill them.
"If my help is required, I will give full support to Kadyrov and will serve honestly, as I served honestly when I was defense minister for Maskhadov," Khambiyev told reporters in Chechnya, according to Interfax news agency.
"I fought Russia for 13 years and decided to stop because the people now just want peace and quiet. I found out the opinion of my people, I found out the opinion of my neighbors, and they asked me to lay down my arms."
Kadyrov was a fellow rebel who changed sides shortly after Putin sent Russian forces back into Chechnya in 1999. Kadyrov says he needs to employ former separatists as they are the only people who understand the rebel mentality.
Putin's 1999 promise to restore order in the mountainous region on Russia's southern fringe was a hugely popular move that propelled him to the presidency four years ago.
But the war has ground on throughout Putin's first term and the surrender was a rare piece of good news from the region in the final stages of the election campaign.
Khambiyev's brother, speaking in Strasbourg, France Wednesday, said the rebel's surrender was not voluntary.
"As a brother, I understand the decision behind Magomed's deed, which was to sacrifice himself for the lives of his relatives," said Umar Khambiyev, who lives in Western Europe.
"We know that there is not a criminal act which Russian forces will not commit to weaken the forces of the opposition and decapitate the Chechen state."
Magomed Khambiyev's surrender was the second major prize for Russian forces in Chechnya this month, following the killing of rebel leader Ruslan Gelayev 10 days ago. Top rebels Maskhadov and Shamil Basayev remain on the run.
"I wish Maskhadov were here today, along with me," said Khambiyev, who denied the army had taken his relatives hostage.
03/11/04 09:54 ET
Copyright 2003 ******* Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of ******* content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of *******. ******* shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.