Nalchik, Russia
Shamil Basayev, the notorious Chechen warlord, acknowledged that he ordered the storming of a southern Russian town last week. The fierce battle that ensued in Nalchik left 137 militants and officials dead. Basayev said a local Islamic militant cell, not ethnic Chechens, carried out the assault—a sign that the fighting in the Caucasus has changed its focus. It’s no longer aimed at independence for Chechnya, but rather at the formation of an Islamic republic that would encompass several Russian provinces, including Chechnya, Dagestan, Ingushetia, and Kabardino-Balkaria. Russian officials confirmed that the dead militants in Nalchik were locals, not Chechens.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
The marvelous powers of mucusThe Explainer It's snot just a pesky cold symptom
-
What to know about the 'no tax on tips' policyThe Explainer The new bill would make tip income exempt from federal income taxes
-
Dehorning rhinos sharply cuts poaching, study findsSpeed Read The painless procedure may be an effective way to reduce the widespread poaching of rhinoceroses
