Ingush rebel leader Ali Taziyev appears to be cooperating with authorities after being seized by the Federal Secret Service this week, Kommersant reported Thursday.
As evidence of Taziyev's possible cooperation, the report pointed to an operation in Chechnya on Wednesday that killed six militants, including an Arab mercenary named Yasir. The operation used chemical-warfare gases, the report said.
Interfax said 10 insurgents were killed but did not confirm Yasir's death.
No officials commented on Taziyev's possible cooperation. The rebel leader, nicknamed "Magas," has been blamed for organizing hundreds of deaths and numerous bombings, including a 2009 attack that nearly killed Ingush President Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, who later called Taziyev “a rabid dog.”
The FSB announced Taziyev's capture on Wednesday. Kommersant said he is being held in Moscow's Lefortovo jail.
Interfax reported Thursday that Taziyev was enticed into an ambush in the Ingush town of Malgobek and captured without a shot being fired.
Nikolai Rogozhkin, commander of the Interior Troops with the Interior Ministry, said Thursday that 2,984 of his troops have been killed since the start of the first conflict in Chechnya in 1994. He said nearly 9,000 others have been injured, Interfax reported. This is the first time that the Interior Troops has revealed the death toll.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.