 Armed bands are continuing fire attacks on federal forces and terrorist acts against civilians in Chechnya, the republic's military commandant Lieutenant-General Grigory Fomenko told Itar-Tass on Wednesday. "The statement of the ringleader of extremists Aslan Maskhadov about a stop to combat actions in Chechnya is an empty sound for militants," he said. This prompts only one conclusion - Maskhadov does not control the situation in the republic and most of bands are not subordinate to him anymore, he said.
| He hasn't noticed that up until now? |
"Maskhadov should have long since understood that his time in Chechnya has passed and he does not belong to himself. He is fully dependant on international terrorism." Fomenko said federal forces were continuing operations to spot and destroy gunmen and landmines planted by them. |