DATE=2/26/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=RUSSIA/CHECHNYA (L)
NUMBER=2-259597
BYLINE=EVE CONANT
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Russian forces say they have taken full
control of a mountainous district in southern Chechnya
as they continue their drive to flush an estimated
eight-thousand rebels from their mountain bases. V-O-
A Moscow correspondent Eve Conant reports Russian
officials are facing new charges that federal troops
committed atrocities against Chechen civilians during
the military offensive.
TEXT: The Interfax news agency says Russian troops
have seized the Itum-Kale district, not far from
Chechnya's border with Georgia. It said dozens of
rebels were killed in fierce fighting for the region
as federal troops forged their way into the Argun
gorge leading into the southern mountains.
Government troops have also taken the heights
overlooking the Shatoi region, which Russian officials
describe as the rebel's last significant mountain
stronghold. The rebel's internet website confirmed
the advances but said civilian casualties were high
and that rebels had killed hundreds of federal troops.
Russian warplanes have been carrying out as many as
100 sorties per day over the Argun and Vedeno gorges.
Moscow is facing increasing pressure from the United
States and European countries to allow international
observers into Chechnya to monitor for human rights
abuses.
On Friday, German television released pictures of what
appears to be Russian soldiers piling the bodies of
Chechen men into a mass grave. Moscow says the tape
does not prove an atrocity has been committed, but has
launched an investigation.
Russia's Foreign Minister also has allowed Council of
Europe Human Rights envoy Alvaro Gil-Robles to visit
refugee camps in Ingushetia and the Chechen capital,
Grozny, in the coming days.
The watchdog (monitoring) group, Physicians for Human
Rights, is adding to the growing list of atrocity
allegations. The group says it has collected medical
evidence of widespread torture of Chechen civilians
carried out by Russian soldiers. The group quoted
cases throughout the republic and also in what human
rights workers call "filtration camps."
Russia's Justice Ministry on Saturday denied charges
that federal troops were torturing inmates at the
Chernokozovo camp, set up by Russia to interrogate and
filter out rebels from the civilian population.
(Signed)
NEB/EC/ALW/JP
26-Feb-2000 08:52 AM EDT (26-Feb-2000 1352 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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