The following is a transcript from....http://www.chechnya.xnet.is/... the official news agency of the Chechen rebels. Translated news reports from March 9th to March 14th follow.
TRANSCRIPT BEGINS
Tuesday, March 14th, 2000
Kavkaz-Tsentr reports:
President Maskhadov refuses to comment on reports of the arrest of Raduyev
President Maskhadov refuses to comment upon Russian reports of the arrest of Salman Raduyev. The Chechen president
repeated this in an interview with Radio Liberty. He said that he doesn't know where Raduyev is, because Raduyev did not
take part in the combat activities.
Situation in Saadi-Khutor
The Chechen command today announced that combat activities in Saadi-Khutor (Komsomolskoye) were interrupted for several
hours yesterday. This was made possible by an agreement between the local commanders of the mujahideen and the
aggressors.
In accordance with this agreement the Chechens handed over to the Russians the corpses of 26 so-called Spetsnaz men. The
Russians, on their part, stopped firing and the mujahideen were able to evacuate 37 wounded fighters. After this, the
fighting began again with greater intensity.
The Chechen side reports successful counter-attacks and the annihilation of more than 60 Russian aggressors at the
outskirts of the village.
The Russian are making use of artillery and rocket launchers. The mujahideen lost 9 fighters.
Fighting in the region of the River Vashtar and Ulus-Kert
Obstinate fighting has been going on in the region of Ulus-Kert and the River Vashtar for two weeks. The Russians are
trying to capture the commanding heights and the village of Ulus-Kert. The Chechen mujahideen are repulsing their
attacks and are counter-attacking, inflicting heavy casualties on the Russians. According to the Chechen side, more than
1,000 aggressors have died in these two weeks. The Chechens lost about 50 fighters.
During the last 24 hours the most intense fighting took place along the River Vashtar. Russian assault formations moved
towards Ulus-Kert in order to cut off one of the mountain routes and to capture a tactical height. One section of the
Russians' route was situated along the River Vashtar. The mujahideen, anticipating the enemy, opened a powerful barrage
on the Russians' advance units. At dusk the Russians ceased all resistance and retreated in disorderly fashion.
According to the Chechen side the Russians lost 57 men.
Today it was announced that the units of the mujahideen in the region of Ulus-Kert and the River Vashtar were ordered to
regroup their forces according to the general tactical plans of the resolution of February 9th.
Russian assault formation destroyed near Mount Surakh Lam
The Chechen general Bakuyev Baudi informed Kavkaz Center's correspondent that yesterday, during the second half of the
day, bitter fighting took place in the Cheberloy District near Mount Surakh Lam.
The massive helicopter assault began at about 11 a.m. local time. About 20 Russian helicopters landed forces at the
heights of Surakh Lam. The enemy began to entrench and to set up firing nests. During this time, the mujahideen units
lay in ambush. At about 12 o'clock assault groups of Chechen fighters attacked the Russians. This attack turned out to
be a complete surprise for the Russians.
Fierce shooting lasted for more than five hours. More than 50 Russians were killed, according to Bakuyev Baudi. 3
mujahideen fell, and 3 fighters were wounded. The mujahideen are in control of the height. The Russians were forced to
stop the landing operation.
Russian air force and helicopters are massively attacking the heights.
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Monday, March 13th, 2000
Kavkaz Center reports:
Casualties and further plans of the mujahideen
Today the staff of the Chechen command published an official declaration on the casualties of the mujahideen during the
fighting for Ulus-Kert, Yarysh-Mardy, and River Vashtar.
According to this information the Armed Forces of the ChRI lost 46 men. The fallen mujahideen have been buried on the
village cemetery of Selmentauzen.
In the combat actions for Saadi-Khutor (Komsomolskoye) the Chechen mujahideen lost 23 fighters, 30 men were wounded.
Today Hamzat Gilayev said to our correspondent that the operations to destroy the aggressors will be continued on the
whole territory of Chechnya. The occurrences at Saadi-Khutor and Alkhazurovo are merely an episode of the forthcoming
battles with the enemy. As far as the future operations of the mujahideen in the region of Saadi-Khutor and elsewhere
are concerned, Gilayev says that all activities of the Chechen armed forced will be performed according to the the
resolution of the State-committee of Defence of the ChRI from February 9th [transition to partisan warfare, transl.].
Gilayev repudiates reports on his death.
International observers were deceived by the Russians
Salambek Khachukayev, head of the Association of Jurists of the ChRI, says that during the visit of international
representatives to Chernokozovo the prisoners were brought to another concentration camp and were substituted by some
crooks of Gantamirov who played the role of detainees.
The minister of the interior of the ChRI, Aydamir Abalayev, informed our correspondent that about 900 former inmates of
Chernokozovo are imprisoned in special railway carriages at Chervlyonnaya-Uzlovaya. The other detainees, 1,000 men, have
been temporarily brought to concentration camps in Urus-Martan, in Doykur-Aul (Tolstoy-Yurt), in Dzhokhar, in Mozdok,
and in Stavropol Region.
Fighting in the mountains continues
The Chechen mujahideen, having regrouped their forces, continue to counter-attack the enemy in the mountains of
Chechnya. Yesterday the mujahideen carried out an operation to destroy a Russian unit between Dai and Khal-Keloy.
The Russians moved from Dai to Khal-Keloy. The Chechens set up a trap and attacked the enemies, firing at them with
grenade launchers, mortars, and machine guns. The Russians, after having lost their leadership and coordination of
actions, retreated in the direction of Dai.
The mujahideen report about 130 killed Russians and about 8 destroyed armoured vehicles and army trucks. There were no
casualties on the Chechen side.
The mujahideen attack the aggressors
The Chechen command has announced that successful attacks were carried out near Saadi-Khutor (Komsomolskoye) and
Ulus-Kert.
Mobile units of the mujahideen moved from Saadi-Khutor to the north towards the Russian positions and attacked them
several times. The Russians' efforts to entrench themselves within the settlement failed.
According to the Chechens, 75 Russians died, and 2 BMPs were knocked out. The mujahideen are occupying all commanding
heights and the road to Surat.
Near Ulus-Kert and the River Vashtar the combat actions have become stationary during recent days. The Chechens continue
to apply the tactics of mobile defence by building up unexpected defensive positions in front of the Russians and then
attacking their flanks and rear.
During the last 24 hours the aggressors didn't carry out assaults, but this morning an armoured column of the Russians
was said to be moving towards Ulus-Kert.
List of persons, whom the ChRI's administration of justice accuses of war crimes
Today the State-Committee of Defence distributed a list of persons, whom the ChRI's administration of justice accuses of
war crimes against the Chechen people and other Muslim people of the Caucasus.
On this list past and present Kremlin leaders and also the men committing the genocide on the territory of Chechnya and
Dagestan are to be found.
The State-Committee of Defence appeals to all nations and to all international organizations for help in arresting the
criminals. The list will be supplemented according to the material available on the participation of various persons in
war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Boris Yeltsin, Pavel Grachov, Sergey Stepashin, Andrey Kozyrev, Vladimir Putin, Ivan Rybkin, Anatoly Kulikov, Viktor
Erin, Sergey Shoygu, Sergey Shakhray, Emil Pain, Alexander Korzhakov, Mikhail Barzukov, Oleg Lobov, Nikolay Koshman,
Beslan Gantamirov, Doku Zavgayev, Ivan Babichev, Vyacheslav Tikhomirov, Anatoly Kvashin, Genadiy Troshev, Alexander
Kazantsev, Vladimir Shamanov, Pyotr Deynekin, Anatoly Karmukov, Nikolay Patrushev, Vladimir Rushaylo, Igor Ivanov, Igor
Sergeyev, Umar Avturkhanov, Salambek Khadzhiyev, Sultan Satuyev, Badrudi Dzamalkhanov, Musa Dzamalkhanov, Akhmad
Kadyrov, Sulim Yamadayev, Dzabrail Gakayev, Malik Saydulayev, Pavel Maslov, Gennadiy Shpigun, Magomedali Magomedov, Said
Amirov, Boris Berezovsky, Anatoliy Romanov (Antonov), Vladimir Bulgakov, Adam Deniyev, Ibragim Suleymenov, Amin Osmayev,
Akhmed Kelimatov, Konstantin Pulikovsky, Vyacheslav Mikhailov, Vadim Timchenko, Sergey Yastrshembsky, Yuri Chayka,
Sergey Makarov, Vladimir Shumeyko
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Saturday, March 11th, 2000
Kavkaz Center reports:
Shamil Basayev and Khattab comment on their "deaths"
Shamil Basayev today said that the many unreasonable statements of the Russian generals are evidence of their lack of
proper information. "Listening to these declarations, I'm convinced that they have no idea where our main forces are and
what is happening right under their noses," says Basayev.
Amir Khattab says that the Russians will very soon realize how well the "dead" Shamil and Khattab will fight.
Mumadi Saydayev, head of the Defence Staff of the ChRI, today called the Russian reports about victories near Ulus-Kert
the "ordinary daily lie of Troshev." According to him, the Russians suffered their heaviest casualties near Ulus-Kert
and near the mouth of the River Vashtar (about 1,000 men) and are now bombing their own forces as well as the
mujahideen. The Russian generals have lost all orientation and are forced to lie desperately in order to conceal their
failure, says Saydayev.
Heavy Russian casualties in Saadi-Khutor
Notwithstanding the reports of the Russian command on the so-called "final phase" of the aggression against the
independent Chechen state, the fighting in Chechnya continues.
The clashes with the aggressors are going on in the mountains as well as in the plains.
Near Saadi-Khutor and Alkhazurovo the fighting has lasted for two weeks. Almost every day the Russians lose 70 to 100
men. According to the Chechen side, today the fighting extended over the whole village and its environs. The mujahideen
also hold the commanding heights and the road to Surat. On the southern outskirts of Saadi-Khutor, after severe Russian
casualties, there are no longer face-to-face clashes. The Russians are making use of their artillery there. But in the
centre of the village the combat actions have become face-to-face. The Chechen side reports the destruction of two
Russian tanks and the capture of weapons.
The mujahideen are periodically and unexpectedly counter-attacking the enemy. Afterwards their mobile units retreat,
changing their place of deployment continuously. Through these tactics the Chechens are avoiding casualties.
Mujahideen attack between Ulus-Kert and Duba-Yurt
Units of the Chechen mujahideen carried out their daily operations in order to destroy advance units of the Russians.
This time they attacked between Ulus-Kert and Duba-Yurt.
The mujahideen carried out am ambush during the night after having outflanked the Russian front-line. A mobile artillery
unit of the Russians was attacked with automatic grenade launchers and flame-throwers. Having become disoriented under
the circumstances of night combat, the so-called "assault spetsnaz" men retreated in disorderly fashion along the River
Vashtar in the direction of Selmentauzen.
According to the Chechen command, the regrouping of the Russian forces continues. Since dawn the Russians have been
massively bombing the region around the River Vashtar.
Russians retreating towards Kenkhi and Kiri
The Chechen command reported today that the main forces of the Russians in the Sharoy District are retreating towards
Kenkhi and Kiri. There remained a fortified garrison of the enemy in Dai.
Meanwhile, the Russian air force and attack helicopters continue to destroy the Chechen mountain villages
systematically. During the last 24 hours more than 120 civilians have died because of the Russian bombardment of
villages in the districts of Sharoy, Cheberloy, Shatoy, Vedeno, Galanchoy, and Urus-Martan. The Russian are continuously
using so-called vacuum bombs [FAEs] and napalm.
Chechen children kept as hostages
The Chechen minister of the interior, Aydamir Abalayev, said to Kavkaz Center's correspondent that the ChRI's
administration of justice receives information daily on the arrest of children ranking from 9 to 13 years old as
"fighters". Most of them are brought to the concentration camp of Chernokozovo where, according to some reports, about
200 children are held, ranging from 9 to 15 years old. Abalayev says that some children have been secretly taken to
Russia. Their further fate is unknown. The Chechen ministry of the interior has a list with the names of 115 children
carried off to Russia.
List of war criminals to be published on Monday
Today it became known that on Monday the State-Committee of Defence of the ChRI will publish a list of the main war
criminals of the Kremlin regime and Russian generals, whom the ChRI's administration of justice is investigating. They
are accused of various war crimes and of genocide. The State-Committee of Defence is going to appeal to all nations and
international organizations for help in arresting the criminals.
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Friday, March 10th, 2000
Kavkaz Center reports:
Bitter fighting near Saadi-Khutor and Ulus-Kert continues
The Chechen mujahideen continue to carry out attacks on the Russians near Saadi-Khutor (Komsomolskoye) and Ulus-Kert.
Counter-attacking the Russian units that had entered Saadi-Khutor yesterday, the Chechens forced the enemy back to the
outskirts of the village and virtually wiped out the unit. The Russians lost more than 100 men. The mujahideen are
occupying positions beyond the village, too, and are in control of the road to Surat and of two tactical heights.
Near Ulus-Kert the situation is unchanged. The Russians are attacking the village and the heights around it with
artillery and rocket launchers. Having lost more than 500 so-called 'Spetsnaz'-soldiers in the recent combat actions,
the Russian now prefer to make use of their aviation and artillery.
There were no casualties on the Chechen side during the last 24 hours.
Akhmed Zakayev on the situation in Chechnya
The Chechen commander Akhmed Zakayev, minister of culture of the ChRI, spoke to Kavkaz Center's correspondent about the
situation in Chechnya, which he considers extremely difficult.
Civilians are particularly suffering. People are being killed for religious and ethnic reasons. Since the beginning of
the Russian invasion about 20,000 civilians have died, most of them as victims of Russian bombing raids and artillery
attacks. During this period a little more than 1,000 mujahideen have died, says Zakayev.
According to him, in present-day Chechnya it is almost safer to fight with gun in hand against the Russians than to wait
for the occupiers' revenge and to prove that you aren't a "fighter".
Situation in Starye Atagi and Samashki
Since the mujahideen entered Starye Atagi and Samashki, shooting has flared up repeatedly, but these fights between the
mujahideen and the Russians aren't very intense. The main forces of the Russians are still being massed in the region of
the Argun Valley. Furthermore, the fighting in the Urus-Martan District doesn't permit the Russians to deploy the
necessary forces to Starye Atagi and Samashki. The Russians are awkward and clumsy soldiers and are used to fighting
only in great hordes and with massive support of aviation and artillery.
Near Starye Atagi the mujahideen destroyed a Russian checkpoint. Shooting occurred near Chiri-Yurt, too.
Fighting took place in the outskirts of Samashki. An armoured group of Russians approached to the village, obviously in
order to explore the situation. The mujahideen shot at the group from the woods along the roads and the Russians
retreated.
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Thursday, March 9th, 2000
Kavkaz Center reports
Fighting in Urus-Martan District intensifies
According to the Chechen command the fighting in Urus-Martan District is intensifying. The Chechen units are
successfully counter-attacking the enemy and are enlarging their zone of control.
The most fierce fighting is going on near Saadi-Khutor (Komsomolskoye). During the last few days thecombat zone has
widened. Now fighting also is taking place near the villages of Goyskoye, Alkhazurovo, and Rozhni-Chu.
The Chechen side reports heavy Russian casualties. According to these figures, yesterday about 70 Russian fell near
Saadi-Khutor and Goyskoye. Three armoured vehicles were knocked out, and 4 Russian soldiers were taken POW.
Russian aircraft shot down near Ulus-Kert
Near Ulus-Kert and in the region of the River Vashtar persistent fighting continues. The Russians tried to penetrate the
village again. Several armoured groups of the enemy, covered by helicopters and assault formations, moved towards the
village and attacked the Chechen positions. The situation escalated to contact combat and hand-to-hand-fighting.
The mujahideen fired at the enemy with RPGs, machine guns, and mortars. During the first hours of fighting 4 BMPs and
one tank were knocked out. The Russians retreated.
After a while they attacked anew without the support of armoured vehicles. Assault formations tried to approach to the
village and to occupy favourable positions. Several mujahideen units went to meet the enemy and repulsed them after
short but fierce fighting.
In the course of the fighting the mujahideen managed to shoot down an aircraft making use of an anti-aircraft gun. The
plane went down near Chiri-Yurt. Inhabitants of the village observed the pilot use his ejection seat.
In the combat actions near Ulus-Kert during the last day about 100 Russians were killed and 5 armoured vehicles were
knocked out. The mujahideen lost 5 men.
Four Russians captured near Khal-Keloy
Near Khal-Keloy special units of the Chechen mujahideen attacked a column of Russian so-called paratroopers moving from
Dai to Khal-Keloy. The Russian unit retreated in disorderly fashion.
The mujahideen took four Russians prisoner and took as booty 20 infantry weapons, flame-throwers, grenade launchers, and
ammunition. There were no casualties on the Chechen side.
According to the Chechen command the remnants of the Russian formation were evacuated with helicopters. 18 Russian were
killed.
Commander Doku Umarov was wounded
The Chechen command today confirmed that the well-known commander Doku Umarov was wounded. The place were this happened
and the nature of his injury were not specified. But according, to Hamzat Gilayev, his injury is not life-threatening.
Currently Umarov is at a safe place.
Sirazhudin Ramazanov meets with Dagestani commanders
The prime-minster of the Islamic Government of Dagestan, Sirazhudin Ramazanov, met with Dagestani field commanders
yesterday evening. During this meeting the Mukhabarat (Islamic Security Service) reported about the situation in
Dagestan.
Ramazanov informed the Dagestani commanders about the activities of the Islamic Government to train the Dagestani
Islamic armed forces and to equip them. These armed forces currently consist of more than 1,300 fighters, the majority
of whom are fighting in the 'Islamic Peacekeeping Army of the Muslims of Ichkeriya and Dagestan'. During the war with
the infidels about 70 Dagestani mujahideen died, among them two commanders.
The Dagestani commander Shamil Gergebilsky was appointed general by Sirazhudin Ramazanov.
ENDS