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| Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
| Former head of state security surrenders in Chechnya |
| 2006-04-03 |
| Official sources announced this week that Sultan Geliskhanov, a former top Chechen representative, surrendered to law enforcement officials. After Chechnya declared its independence in the early 1990s and became the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, Geliskhanov became head of the Department of State Security. So now his voluntary surrender, widely reported in the Russian media, is being presented as another victory for the federal forces. It is obvious why the media focus on a man who left his job eleven years ago - since most ordinary Russians do not approve of the Chechen campaign, it is therefore necessary to show them that "we are really right." As a result, among the list of "guerrilla leaders who surrendered" are two heads of special services of Ichkeria now. One of them is Ibragim Khultygov, who gave himself up at the beginning of the current military campaign and now works in the recently created Council of the Republic, the upper house of the Chechen parliament. In addition there are also many security guards of the late Ichkerian President Aslan Maskhadov cooperating with the authorities, as well as the staff of various ministries, including former Ichkerian Defense Minister Magomed Khambiyev, who also became a deputy in the current parliament. Apparently, there are many others waiting in the wings who, when necessary, will play the part of "surrendered guerrillas." |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |