MOSCOW (Islamweb & Agencies) - Russia's invasion troops have falsely claimed credit on Monday for killing a senior Resistance commander in the occupied Republic of Chechnya, but other accounts said he was gunned down by a teenager avenging his father's death.General Vladimir Moltenskoi, Russia's top invasion command man in the 22-month-old drive against Chechen Freedom Fighters, said Magomed Tsagarayev was killed on Sunday outside a house as a result of what he called a coordinated operation by various branches of the military.
Russian invasion forces have nominal control over most of Chechnya in their second post-Soviet war against Chechen republicans, but fall victim daily to attacks and ambushes. Official figures put the death toll in this campaign at about 3,000.
The number of casualties among the Resistance and civilians is unknown.
Earlier accounts of Sunday's shootout in Grozny, Chechnya's devastated capital, said Tsagarayev and two other Resistance leaders had burst into a courtyard and opened fire on two senior policemen having dinner there, killing them.
They said the 15-year-old son of one policemen ran into the courtyard and fired on the group, killing Tsagarayev and seriously wounding a companion before being wounded himself.
Moltenskoi acknowledged that the son had taken a gun and fired but unashamedly claimed invasion forces ``took him (the son) away and completed the operation'' after he had been wounded. Moltenskoi said it had not been established who killed Tsagarayev.
Moltenskoi said a second Resistance man had died -- Andy Dashayev, described as the Resistance's ' ``main demolition man in Grozny.''
Interfax news agency quoted general staff sources as saying Tsagarayev had ``practically and consistently organized Resistance attacks in Grozny.''
They added that he had settled in the Chechen capital about two weeks ago after troops killed or dispersed a number of his men in the Sharo-Argun gorge in the south of Chechnya.
LIMITED SUCCESS IN HUNTING RESISTANCE LEADERS
Observers say, Russia has had limited success in hunting down top Resistance leaders. Authorities claimed a success last month when troops killed Arbi Barayev, a Resistance leader accused of running a kidnapping industry.
Refugees in nearby Ingushetia have been shown on television in recent days saying they will not return home out of fear of the Russian military.(photo caption below) The actions of the military, criticized by rights groups, are in focus again after ``sweep operations'' this month in which villagers were rounded up and beaten.
PHOTO CAPTION:
Chechen boys stand at the gates of their house with toy pistols in the capital of Chechen capital of Grozny, July 5, 2001. Russian invasion troops have notably failed to kill or capture most of the top Resistance commanders, despite occupying all of the most mountanous Chechnya for more than a year, and tens of thousands of civilians who fled the fighting remain unwilling to return home. REUTERS/Adlan Khasanov
- Jul 05 2:40 PM ET