Russia

Chechen Rebels Vow To Expand Fight Into Russia

Doku Umarov (file photo) (RFE/RL) PRAGUE, June 23, 2006 (RFE/RL) -- The new leader of the self-declared Chechen separatist government, Doku Umarov, pledged today to expand rebel attacks to "many Russian regions."

But he said the attacks would exclusively be against military and police targets and declared that "decisive" measures would be taken to prevent any attacks on civilians.


These are Umarov's first published comments since he assumed command of separatist forces.


Pro-Russian forces killed Umarov's predecessor, Abdul-Khalim Sadulayev, on June 17.

The Chechnya Conflict

The Chechnya Conflict

The aftermath of a December 2002 Chechen resistance attack on the main government building in Grozny (epa)

CHRONOLOGY

The fighting in Chechnya has raged, with short breaks, since 1994. It has brought misery, death, and destruction to the North Caucasus republic and to Russia as a whole. View an annotated timeline of the conflict.



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