New refugees arrive in Ingushetia after Chechen fighters came to Urus-Martan districtRuslan Isayev, North Caucasus - A large number of Chechen refugees arrived today in Ingushetia. Almost all of them live in villages in the Urus-Martan district where Chechen fighters came this morning. Commanders of the Chechen armed groups told the civilians that in line with their order they have to stay in the villages for three days.
In order to avoid civilian casualties, Chechen fighters asked the villagers to leave their homes. In the early morning, residents of Martan-chu, Roshni-chu, Gekhi-chu and Shalazhi started hastily leaving their villages. Witnesses said that the refugees were carrying everything they could to save it from fighting.
Ingush policemen who serve at a check-point near the administrative border with Chechnya said that the first vehicles with refugees passed by them at 7 a.m.
In Martan-chu, a shoot-out took place between Chechen fighters and local policemen in the early morning. As a result, seven policemen were killed, the people who came to Ingushetia said.
Although the newly arrived people needed some place to stay at, nobody is taking care of them. Therefore it is impossible to determine the exact number of the people who came from the Urus-Martan district to Ingushetia. (T) |
