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Kalmyks Fight Back
Eight Chechen houses were burnt, dozens of people beaten in the mass riots in Yandyki-village, the Astrakhan Region, yesterday, August 18, 2005. Troops of interior forces were brought to multinational Yandyki, which is a home to Kalmyks, Russians and Chechens, to calm down Kalmyks anxious to revenge for the death of their fellow countryman.
At least 300 people came yesterday to lay to rest 24-year old Nikolay Boldyrev with due honors. Once the funeral ceremony was over, the crowd of locals and visitors passed along the village, beating Chechens and putting their houses on fire. As a result, five people, including a policeman, were hospitalized, eight houses were burnt, six of them to ashes, two cars crashed.
Now the Chechens and Kalmyks are coming by cars and trucks to the village, representatives of local authorities said. “New riots may happen.”
“We have contacted authorities of the Astrakhan Region and agreed on the joint investigation of the accident,” Chechen State Council Chairman Taus Jabrailov told Kommersant Thursday, adding he will name the guilty no sooner than a special commission set up to the effect provides the conclusion.
The present disorders date back to events happened six months ago, when three drunk Chechens smashed up a local cemetery. Since them, the fights between Chechens and Kalmyks have become regular. At early hour on August 16, 2005, a group of 20 to 25 Chechens appeared in the village to draw Kalmyks out of their houses and beat them. One of the victims, Nikolay Boldyrev was beaten to death.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Aug. 19, 2005
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Photo: Valery Melnikov
