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Russia Seals Off Chechen Capital for Separatist Anniversary
MOSCOW, Aug 6 (News Agencies) - Russian troops have closed the Chechen capital amid fears that separatists could be planning an offensive attack to mark the fifth anniversary of the battle of Grozny.
Russian forces in Chechnya were reportedly on full alert on Monday as the breakaway republic's representative in the State Duma warned that separatists could launch attacks to mark the fifth anniversary of a major offensive in the 1994-96 Chechen war.
Aslanbek Aslakhanov told the lower house of parliament that separatists might carry out "separate actions in separate regions" to mark their takeover of the Chechen capital of Grozny on August 6, 1996.
The attack inflicted heavy losses on Russian federal forces and proved a turning point in the two-year war.
However, Aslakhanov told Echo Moscow radio that a large-scale military assault was unlikely.
He said there was "sufficient evidence" to justify the military precautions, noting that a refusal to take separatist statements seriously enough on previous occasions had led to "tragic events."
But, he went on to say that a Russian decision to cordon off three northern Chechen districts, Naursky, Shelkovsky and Nadterechny, was "exaggerated."
Russian news agencies reported interior ministry officials as saying that security had been tightened throughout the republic in order to prevent possible separatist attacks related to the anniversary.
Federal forces have imposed blanket restrictions in Grozny, with only military, interior ministry and police vehicles allowed to move about freely, a spokesman for the local administration told AFP by telephone.
Civilians and civilian vehicles could neither enter nor leave the city and the majority of local officials were unable to reach work, spokesman Ruslan Martagov said.
The security clampdown began on Friday after 12 Russian soldiers were killed in one of the deadliest days of fighting in several weeks.
On Sunday, Russian troops sealed off Grozny and restricted travel across the republic, setting up roadblocks between neighboring districts.
The move angered local officials; and Martagov said the blockade would "help the separatists."
He dismissed reports of an exodus of civilians from Grozny ahead of the anniversary, noting that the population had already largely abandoned the city.
Thousands of separatist Chechen fighters invaded Grozny five years ago Monday, almost capturing the city and killing hundreds of federal troops.
Though the Russian authorities sent in reinforcements to restore overall control, the operation was a major propaganda coup and was followed by a total Russian withdrawal from the Caucasus republic only a few months later. The withdrawal lasted until 1999.
Scheduled administrative meetings were cancelled on Monday and security was stepped up around public buildings and schools, news agencies reported.
Controls were also reinforced at Chechnya's border with neighboring Ingushetia, where tens of thousands of Chechens are living in refugee camps.
Since the clampdown was introduced, separatist activity had been greatly reduced, Interfax news agency quoted officials as saying.
Interior ministry spokesman Fyodor Asankhanov said on national television that the preventive measures, including stiffer identity controls, had proved to be effective.
Interior ministry officials said that while the republic had been calm on Sunday night, the situation remained tense.
Local officials quoted by the RIA Novosti news agency said three policemen had been wounded over the past 24 hours; two when their vehicle was fired on in Grozny, and another when a grenade was thrown at a group of policemen at Shali, 25 kilometers (15 miles) southeast of the capital.
Another official quoted by RIA Novosti said that "criminal elements" had been spreading rumors of an increase in separatist activity.
Russian troops returned to Chechnya on October 1, 1999, to quell a resurgence of separatist activity.
Moscow has been attempting to normalize the situation by announcing a gradual scaling down of its military presence in Chechnya, but its attempts have had little effect.
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