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Monday, 10 July 2006

CHECHEN PRIME MINISTER CLAIMS RESISTANCE RANKS DWINDLE

Published in News Digest

By empty (7/10/2006 issue of the CACI Analyst)

Ramzan Kadyrov told journalists in Gudermes on July 8 that Chechen resistance leaders Doku Umarov and Shamil Basayev have only a few dozen Chechen fighters under their command, together with some 60-70 foreign mercenaries, Russian media reported. Kadyrov contrasted that allegedly limited force with that of the 17,000 police under his own command, whom he characterized as \"excellently trained and experienced in combat action.\" He added that 30 resistance fighters surrendered earlier that day and a further 50 are \"preparing\" to do likewise.
Ramzan Kadyrov told journalists in Gudermes on July 8 that Chechen resistance leaders Doku Umarov and Shamil Basayev have only a few dozen Chechen fighters under their command, together with some 60-70 foreign mercenaries, Russian media reported. Kadyrov contrasted that allegedly limited force with that of the 17,000 police under his own command, whom he characterized as \"excellently trained and experienced in combat action.\" He added that 30 resistance fighters surrendered earlier that day and a further 50 are \"preparing\" to do likewise. Meanwhile, Umarov told the Turkish daily \"Vakit\" in an interview reposted on July 10 on the website chechenpress.org that \"thousands of young men in the Caucasus want to join our ranks to wage jihad against the Russian aggressors.... Believe me, if we had enough money and weapons, we could create a huge army in the Caucasus in the space of one week.\" (RFE/RL)
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