Chechens Play Hit-and-Run as Russian Troops Try to Dig In

Russian warplanes and ground troops battered Chechnya’s southern mountains Saturday, where thousands of rebels were entrenched, and the Russian military claimed to be strengthening its hold on strategic heights.

Since Russian forces claimed control of the breakaway republic’s capital, Grozny, after a rebel exodus early this month, the military has increasingly focused on the mountains, where as many as 8,000 rebels are believed to be based among the rugged, snowy slopes.

But federal forces are continuing to face some resistance from rebel holdouts in Grozny, the army headquarters for the North Caucasus told the Interfax news agency.

According to the army, Russian forces have seized nearly all the commanding heights near the towns of Argun and Vedeno. Those gorges extend deep into the mountains and are believed to be important supply routes for the fighters.

Chechen rebels attacked a Russian guard post overnight on the border with Georgia, the only foreign country bordering Chechnya, the news agency Itar-Tass reported, citing border guard officials. There were no casualties among the guards, they said.

Although far outnumbered by Russian troops, the rebels are skilled in mounting hit-and-run attacks, especially in the mountains, where they can quickly fade into the crags and fog.

Although Russia claims to control most of Chechnya after nearly five months of fighting, rebels last week ambushed two military trains and attacked federal units, demonstrating that they can still inflict serious damage on Russian forces.

Russian warplanes, despite inclement weather, flew more than 70 combat missions in 24 hours, attacking rebel bases and camps in the two gorges, the military command said.

While Russian troops tried to put down the rebels remaining in Grozny, work was underway to establish civilian self-rule administrations in the city’s districts, Interfax reported.

However, prospects were in doubt for a large-scale return of civilians to the city that once had a population of 400,000. Months of heavy bombing and shelling followed by intense street fighting have left the capital in ruins. Many refugees say they will not return, and some Russian officials say there is no money to restore the city.

At the border with the Russian republic of Ingushetia, two checkpoints that had been closed by Russian troops were reopened Saturday and refugees were being allowed to move freely into and out of Ingushetia, Interfax said.

The military said it had closed the checkpoints earlier to halt attempts by rebels to infiltrate Ingushetia disguised as civilians.