Today I am testing a new option for which I would like you to give me some feedback: publishing articles in languages other than English, machine translated by Google Language Services. I will try my best to polish up the translations *if I have the time* (which I mostly do not). Machine translated texts are readable at best, so don't expect high quality stuff, but the substance might be very interesting. For those of you who read Spanish, Russian, French, German, Portuguese, Dutch or Italian (my "input" languages) I will provide a link to the original texts. With my RSS reader I check out over 300 information sources everyday and at least half of them are not in English. While I cannot produce quality translations (lack of time), I can at least pass on the substance of any interesting articles I find. Lastly, I might bold out the sections of the text which I find particularly interesting.
What do you think - is that a good idea?
As a first trial-balloon today, I would like to share with you a Russian article about events in the Caucasus and, in particular, the recent elimination of a number of top Chechen insurgency leaders.
The Saker
------- Дагестан: Как ликвидировали лидеров бандподполья
Dagestan: How leaders of the underground were liquidated
A major success of security forces ended an operation carried out last Saturday in the Dagestan regional center Gunib. The Special Forces FSB eliminated Magomedali Vagabova whom intelligence agencies believe the attacks in the Moscow metro, committed in March of this year and claimed the lives of 40 people. Liquidation Vagabova apparently, was another indication that security forces have embarked on a targeted killing militants and their leaders. Only at the end of last week in the Khasavyurt area first special forces shot machine with four militants, and was later eliminated the local leader of the commando Rustam Munch. In turn, after the destruction Vagabova militants believed in revenge, carried out a succession of armed attacks in Makhachkala, killing three people.
The appearance of large numbers of security forces residents Gunib noticed about six o'clock in the morning. The Special Forces Dagestani branch of the FSB and the police (they cordoned off the area of operations) came in the six "Ural", three armored personnel carriers and six "UAZah. Special Forces in a few minutes blocked the area around the former school building in which the past 15 years in the four-bedroom apartments inhabited district employees of municipal agencies.
Security officials interested in flat, which, according to their data, should have been one of the militia leaders Magomedali Vagabov. Owner of the flat 26-year-old Saadula Magomedov, head of a security guard Gunibsky district Abdulhalima Machaeva lived there with his 20-year-old wife Raisat Sindikovoy. As told Kommersant source in law enforcement, Saadula Magomedov was a member of the esteemed in Gunib family (his mother works as director of a local museum), himself a young man was also in good standing. "Blood on it was not - told Kommersant strongman - but recently he came under the influence of" forest "and became their accomplice."
As it turned out, the leader gubdenskoy subversive and terrorist groups Magomedali Vagabov (among the rebels was known as Saifullo Gubdensky and was considered second in command in the current hierarchy of the forbidden "Caucasus Emirate") appeared in the too distant from Gubdena place, because there has got another wife. In Gunib he appeared before, but how much time they spend in it at this time, security officials did not report.
The operation began with the protracted negotiations. At first, his house had left three other residents of apartments, including his mother and sister Saaduly Magomedov. He himself refused to leave, although within an hour relatives and security officers tried to persuade the young man to surrender. His older brother, Magomedov said that his "guests who are interested in the Feds." When asked to produce at least a wife (played by young married last year) Saadula Magomedov said: "She did not want to go." Meanwhile Magomedali Vagabov decided to use the protracted negotiations and break out of encirclement. But then he got a bullet in his leg and was forced to return to the house. And an hour after the start of negotiations gunmen opened fire on a Special Forces assault rifles and under-barrel grenade launcher.
After a few volleys of responses in the house was on fire. By noon, the active part of the operation was completed. After firefighters extinguished the fire at the battle site was discovered five corpses - owners of the apartment, 34-year-old Magomedali Vagabova, 17-year-old Salahuddin Zakaryaeva (son of the leader of the gang Abdulgafura Zakaryaeva liquidated along with 11 other militants in March last year Karabudahkentskom area) and another man, who has not yet been identified.
By noon the slave prohibited in Russia, the Caucasus Emirate "sites confirmed the death Sayfullaha Gubdenskogo. According to them, in the house were blocked five "mujahedeen," including the "Amir of the Dagestan Front of the Caucasus Emirate and the cadi. According to the site, being in the house of Salahuddin Zakaryan presented as "spokesperson of the Cadi and the Caucasus Emirate Amir of the Dagestan Front", "contacted the agency. According to the extremists, before his death Vagabov said: "I hurt ... I'm going to paradise!"
The location of Vagabova was Karabudahkentsky area and woodlands of several neighboring areas of the country. In recent years he kept in fear of his native village Gubden: victims of militant attacks have become not only police but also local residents openly opposed to the Wahhabis. The most tragic was the fate of the family head of the village police department Abdulmalik Magomedov. The head of the family was killed in October 2008 in a firefight with militants from the group Vagabova. A year later, in November 2009, at the beginning of the holy month of Ramazan Magomedov family came to the cemetery to honor his memory. Right on the grave was found a powerful explosive device. The explosion caused the policeman's widow Helen and her daughter Triftonidi Gulbara died on the spot, the sister of Mr. Magomedov Umuhanum Hizrieva later died in hospital. In survived only son, Rasul, who brought women to the cemetery, but he waited for them outside the fence. A few hours later, during preparations for the funeral, the cemetery was discovered another bomb - in the 5-6 m from the first explosion. Charge neutralized. And on July 12 in Gubdene was killed son Abdulmalik Magomedov and Helena Triftonidi Commander of the Order of Courage Senior Lieutenant Rasul Magomedov - was gunned down near gubdenskim township police station, where he worked as a security officer.
Interestingly, after the recent sensational resignation Doku Umarov Vagabov supported him, made an appeal. "To date, the sole legitimate ruler of the Muslims of the Caucasus is and remains the Amir Abu Usman. Mujahideen of the Caucasus swear allegiance to him," - he said.
Russian security services believe Vagabova organized the March bombings in the Moscow subway. One of the two suicide bombers, according to security officials, was the wife of gunman - a teacher from the village Balakhany Untsukulsky district of Dagestan Maryam Sharipov.
Liquidation Vagabova is a great success of Russian special services, said a member of the National Anti-Terrorist Committee, First Vice-Speaker of the Federation Council, Alexander Torshin. "Over time, the gunman would have grown to Shamil Basayev, no more and no less, - said Mr. Torshin .- Our special services, and this is a trend, eliminate the leaders before they have time to prepare a replacement." Yesterday at a meeting in Makhachkala, Dagestan president Magomedsalam Magomedov invited to submit for an award of law enforcement officers who distinguished themselves during a special operation to destroy Magomedali Vagabova. "From the republic's leadership, we decided to reward them financially," - the president added.
Liquidation Magomedali Vagabova was another successful operation to destroy the militias and their leaders. As already reported by Kommersant at the end of last week in the Khasavyurt area FSB eliminated four militants tried to shoot back. And then it became known that in the village Bammatyurt during a joint operation by the FSB and the Interior Ministry leader killed Khasavyurt subversive and terrorist group Rustam Munch.
However, once we became aware of the elimination Magomedali Vagabova in Makhachkala were a number of armed attacks against militants. First, criminals, riding on a white VAZ-2107, staged a massacre in the village of Separators of the city: the street Hurshilova they opened fire with automatic weapons a policeman, who was in his car VAZ-21114 (he died on the spot), and later at the cafe "Boomer" on street Fonvizin fired at a senior operative of the Criminal Investigation Branch of the Soviet police department Makhachkala (he was wounded in the forearm) and 52-year-old visitor (he died on the spot). After that, hiding from persecution, some garages, located at the house N 15 on the street Perov, they fired the captain of the local military unit, who died of his wounds. According to a source of Kommersant in the power structures of Dagestan, there could be a campaign of revenge subordinates Magomedali Vagabova. "According to our data, in Makhachkala, there are several groups who reported directly to him - said the source - it is possible that this was a reaction to the elimination of their leader."
March 8, 2005 in the Chechen village of Tolstoy-Yurt during a special operation FSB was killed President Aslan Maskhadov, Chechnya. According to one version, he ordered the guard to shoot himself after their bunker was discovered.
June 17, 2006 during clashes in Argun was killed Maskhadov's successor Abdul-Halim Saydulaev. According to the then prime minister, Ramzan Kadyrov, the militants gave someone from his entourage for 1500 rubles.
10 July 2006 on the outskirts of the village of Ekazhevo in Ingushetia as a result of the FSB special operation was blown up "Kamaz", which was the first vice-premier Chechnya, Brigadier General and terrorist Shamil Basayev.
April 4, 2007 during a special operation branch of the FSB and the MVD in the Vedeno region of Chechnya killed Suleiman Imurzaev (Khairulla), who commanded the congregation in the south-eastern Chechnya. He was considered one of the organizers of the assassination of Akhmad Kadyrov.
September 17, 2007 in Kizilyurt district of Dagestan eliminated local militia leader Rappani Khalilov. The house where he was hiding, razed to the ground armored vehicles and tanks.
January 17, 2009 in Dagestan branch of the FSB special forces and Interior Ministry eliminated religious and military authority Ichkerian Underground Hadieva Issa, who on behalf of Chechnya envoy Akhmed Zakayev to set up armed units in the Caucasus.
March 2, 2010 during a special operation of the FSB and Interior Ministry troops in the Ingush village of Ekazhevo militants killed ideologue Alexander Tikhomirov (Said Buryat). According to investigators, he produced a 30 bombers to carry out terrorist attacks on Russian territory.
March 18, 2010 in Vedeno district of the Chechen militiamen eliminated Arabic instructor Abu Khaled, in technical and psychological training of terrorists.
March 24, 2010 in Nalchik during a firefight with the FSB special forces killed the leader of bandpodpolya Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia Anzor Astemirov (crossroads). He was among the organizers of the attack on Nalchik in October 2005.