World IN BRIEF : RUSSIA : Chechen Rebels Abandon Town
- Share via
From Times Wire Reports
Chechen rebels abandoned their weeklong occupation of Gudermes, the region’s second biggest town, leaving dead bodies lying in the streets under a barrage of Russian artillery fire. Gen. Aslan Maskhadov, overall commander of the Chechen separatist rebels fighting Russian forces, said he had issued an order for them to withdraw from Gudermes “to avoid further victims among the two sides and among peaceful civilians.” Gudermes Mayor Ramzan Vatsayev said more than 100 civilians had been killed in fighting in the past few days.
More to Read
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.