Growing unrest in Chechnya

(Baonghean) - According to Russia's RIA Novosti news agency citing police sources, the conflict on Thursday (December 4) between security forces and rebels in the capital of Chechnya left at least 5 police officers dead and many others injured.

The TV station building - the scene of clashes between rebels and security forces on December 4. Photo: Elena Fitkulina/AFP

On the night of December 3, militants from the Islamic Movement of the Caucasus called for attacks on the Kavkazcenter website. They claimed they were acting on the orders of the new leader, Sheikh Ali Abu Muhammad.

The fighting began at an intersection in the capital Grozny, and then spread to a television building and a school. However, it is not known whether the rebels' seizure of the television building and school was planned or forced upon them. At the same time, authorities do not know whether the rebels were acting alone or were linked to other rebel groups.

According to the National Anti-Terrorism Committee, some of the attackers were trapped in the TV station building, while others were still hiding in the school. Chechen President Ekho Moskvy said: “Six terrorists were eliminated” and affirmed that “not a single terrorist will leave the scene alive”. According to President Moskvy, by 8am (around 12pm in Vietnam), security forces had almost controlled the situation in Grozny.

After two wars with Russia in the 1990s and early 2000s, Chechnya has gradually stabilized under the “iron fist” of President Ramza Kadyrov, who is considered to have “close” relations with the Kremlin. However, in early October, the deaths of five police officers when they tried to stop a suicide bomber at a concert raised fears of a new wave of violence in Chechnya. In September, jihadists from the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq announced on YouTube that they would support the fight of rebels in the Caucasus against the Moscow government in Chechnya.

Chu Thanh

According to LeMonde 4/12