DATE=2/27/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=RUSSIA - CHECHNYA (L)
NUMBER=2-259612
BYLINE=EVE CONANT
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Russian forces are facing stiff resistance
from an estimated two thousand rebels in the Shatoi
region near Chechnya's southern mountains. V-O-A
Moscow correspondent Eve Conant reports the Council of
Europe's Human Rights envoy, Alvaro Gil-Robles, has
begun a trip to the North Caucasus to check for human
rights abuses in the breakaway republic.
TEXT: Human Rights envoy Alvaro Gil-Robles is
scheduled to visit refugee camps in Chechnya's
neighboring republic of Ingushetia, and then visit the
Chechen capital, Grozny, on Monday.
His visit follows a series of allegations from
international human rights groups that Russian
soldiers have committed war crime atrocities during
their campaign to rout rebel fighters from Chechnya.
Mr. Gil-Robles said he was hoping to visit the
Chernokozovo detention camp. Human rights workers say
Chechens who have been held in the camp have suffered
torture and rape by Russian troops, but Moscow
authorities have denied all allegations of atrocities.
Mr. Gil-Robles is being accompanied by Vladimir
Kalamanov, Russia's chief human rights envoy for
Chechnya.
Meanwhile, Russian troops are pounding rebel positions
in Chechnya's southern mountains with air and
artillery fire. The rebels' Internet website says
there are high civilian casualties.
Russian troops say they are encountering stiff
resistance in the rebel stronghold of Shatoi.
Commanders have admitted that small groups of rebels
ranging from 15 to 20 men are able to break out of the
federal encirclement. Russian news agencies say
Shatoi may be as strongly defended as the capital
Grozny had been before falling to Russian troops.
Officials say federal warplanes flew more than 120
sorties over Shatoi, and the Argun and Vedeno gorges
over the past 24 hours. The Itar-Tass news agency
quotes Russian General Gennady Troshev as saying
federal troops were regrouping to deal a final blow to
the estimated eight thousand rebels in southern
mountains.
But General Troshev is also quoted as saying rebels
would continue to stage counter-attacks against
Russian troops even after their main strongholds were
crushed. (Signed)
NEB/EC/ALW/PLM
27-Feb-2000 07:31 AM EDT (27-Feb-2000 1231 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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