#19 - JRL 2006-198 - JRL Home
Putin aide calls militant surrender in N. Caucasus successful

MOSCOW. Aug 31 (Interfax) - After the message of the federal authorities in July militants have been turning themselves in massively the North Caucasus, Aslambek Aslakhanov, advisor to President Vladimir Putin, told Interfax on Thursday.

"People are laying down arms. Even if two or three persons had done it, it would have been a success," he said.

The authorities, primarily in Chechnya, are now facing the task of adapting the surrendering militants to peaceful life, he said.

On Wednesday the National Counterterrorist Committee told Interfax that 178 persons had turned themselves in the North Caucasus by August 28.

"The process of renouncing illegal militant operations continues. The message of the committee gave a chance to those who had been deceived by militant leaders and dragged into criminal operations to return to peaceful life," a committee spokesman said.