Two Russian officers were among nine Russian soldiers killed in Chechnya, prompting a partial troop withdrawal.

MOSCOW, May 6 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Nine Russian soldiers have been killed in Chechnya over the past week, as Russian Defense Minister said Russia would withdraw part of its forces from the independence-seeking republic, news agencies reported Monday. 

Two Russian officers were among the nine killed, Interfax-AVN news agency quoted an official with the Russian forces' North Caucasus headquarters Monday as saying.

Chechen independence activists stepped up their actions against Russian forces, as leaves appearing on trees following the arrival of spring, provided them with increased cover and made it more difficult for federal troops to spot them, the official added, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).

The number of attacks on Russian positions doubled over the past week, he went added.

In his state of the nation address last month, Putin claimed that the "military phase" of the Chechen conflict was over. However, military action is still under way in the republic.

Meanwhile, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said late Sunday, May 5, that Russia will withdraw part of its forces from Chechnya, while on a visit there.

"Surplus troops" in Chechnya, whose presence there is not strictly essential, will be pulled out, the RIA Novosti news agency quoted Ivanov as saying.

The minister did not specify how many troops would leave or when.

However, a number of soldiers, including those still involved in combat missions in the republic, are to remain there, added Ivanov.

"Certain parts [of Russian forces] which are carrying out special operations and combat missions will stay," he said.

Since its forces swept into Chechnya October 1, 1999, Russia has announced their upcoming withdrawal several times, to little effect so far.

Chechnya declared independence in 1991 after the collapse of the Soviet Union. But, in a move that looked as though Russia wished to show the world it could also do what the United States did to Iraq, it attacked Chechnya. The 1994-96 war left 80,000 casualties. The Russian assault devastated the capital Grozny and other parts of Chechnya. However, the Chechens defeated Russia revealing how poor Russian military capabilities were.

Earlier in 1999, the Islamic uprising in the neighboring Dagestan region of Russia resulted in accusations by Moscow that Chechen government forces supported a Dagestan rebellion. While this was denied, Chechen fighters (who are not controlled by the central government) did support the Islamic uprising in Dagestan. This incursion led to a conflict with Russian forces that defeated the Chechens.

Following the Chechen defeat in Dagestan, Moscow suffered bomb blasts believed to be by various independence activists (although never proven). This has also led to a rise in Russia of racist sentiments against people mainly from the Caucasus regions.

Russia is now engaged in a full-scale war with Chechnya. There have been many reports of bombing raids by Russian forces and over 200,000 people are said to have fled from Chechnya. Grozny and other parts of Chechnya are being pounded and destroyed. 

Once more, the civilian population is caught in the middle. Civilian casualties have been high and there has been an international outcry at the brutal Russian crackdown and indiscriminate bombing and targeting of civilians.

Human Rights groups are concerned by Russian forces’ rampage, since issuing an ultimatum for citizens in Grozny to evacuate. The Russian troops have been looting and burning homes and buildings, even executing those who resist.

On April 20, 2000, Chechen President Ashlan Mashkadov made a ceasefire offer. However, Russian demands have been stern, which triggered more suicide attacks and increased warfare by the Chechen combatants, indicating that the conflict is far from over.

As Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported in April 2001, “the U.N. Commission on Human Rights adopted a resolution on Chechnya that condemned serious human rights violations by Russian forces, and raised concern about forced disappearances, torture, and summary executions.

“Sponsored by the E.U., and with strong U.S. backing, the resolution called for U.N. special reporters to investigate these abuses in the war-torn republic and for credible criminal investigations by domestic agencies into all human rights and humanitarian law violations. 

Russia rejected a similar resolution adopted by the commission, and refused to comply with its requirements. It has vowed to do the same this year."

In May 2001, HRW also reported that Russian authorities covered evidence of extra-judicial executions.

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