Chechen warlord killed in Russian operation

By Vladimir Radyuhin

MOSCOW, JUNE 25. Russia has scored its first major success in hunting down Chechen rebel leaders during the 20-month-long war in the breakaway region, killing one of the most ferocious guerillas.

The warlord, Mr. Arbi Barayev (28), accused of killing 170 people, including four Westerners, was found dead after a major six-day operation in his home town of Alkhan-Kala on Monday. He is the first of a handful of top Chechen commanders killed since October 1999, when the Russian army began its second attempt to bring separatist Chechnya back to Russian fold.

``This is a great success,'' the chief Kremlin spokesman for Chechnya, Mr. Sergei Yastrzhembsky, said in televised remarks. ``Barayev was one of the most maniacal and successful Chechen commanders.''

A Chechen-run Internet site on Monday confirmed the death of Barayev, calling him a ``martyr''. Mr. Barayev became notorious by kidnapping people for ransom and mercilessly killing them if no ransom was paid. He is believed to have kidnapped and beheaded three Britons and a New Zealander who had been working on Chechnya's phone network in 1998.

Russia's acting commander in Chechnya, General Vladimir Moltenskoi, said Mr. Barayev's fellow rebel leaders, Mr. Shamil Basayev and Mr. Khatab would be the next in line. Russian forces control the whole of tiny Chechnya, which measures 100 km by 120 km, but rebels continue to kill Federal troops every day. Experts believe rebel resistance may die down once the separatist leaders have been nabbed.

Earlier this year, the Russian President, Mr. Vladimir Putin, put the country's espionage agency, the Federal Security Service, in charge of the Chechen operation, which may have contributed to the latest Russian success.

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Section  : International
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