Ten Chechen civilians died during heavy fighting between Russian forces and Chechen separatists in the south of the republic. The victims, including women and a one year-old child, were killed as Russian forces shelled the village of Tsatsan-Yurt which they have been surrounding for several days. Rebels also claimed to have killed up to 40 Russian soldiers and to have wounded a similar number around Tsatsan-Yurt, but the Russian high command denied any losses. Russian forces launched a special operation around three villages near the capital, Grozny, and said that they had killed 84 separatist fighters and arrested 20 during the offensive. A high-profile fatality was top separatist warlord Ruslan Shilayev, said to be sixth in the hierarchy of Chechen rebel commanders.
The world is a better place without him. |