19 March 2007, 23:34
General Yedelev: 37 militants' groups are operative in Chechnya
Currently, 37 armed groupings with a total strength of 450 persons operate in Chechnya, general-colonel Arkady Yedelev, head of the operations headquarters for North Caucasus, has told today to the press conference in Grozny.
"This number includes not only the irreconcilable members of bandit groups who are the envoys of the policy of international terrorists, but also criminals for whom the activities of illegal armed formations have become a trade and form of earning money," the RIA "Novosti" is quoting Mr. Yedelev.
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported earlier that according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of the Russian Federation, the most dangerous militants operating in Chechnya are still Doku Umarov, a native of the mountain village of Kharsenoj, and a militant named Imurzaev, also known as Khairulla. Among foreign mercenaries, the MIA's leaders have named a certain Yasir, a native of Algeria, and Seif Islama, an Arab of Jordan origin.
