Self-claimed Chechen 'President' killed by Russian troops

Moscow, June 17 (UNI) Top Chechen warlord Abdul Kahlim Saidullayev, who had declared himself President of Chechnya, was today killed in a special operation by Russian forces in the Chechen city of Argun.

Announcing this, the Chechen Prime Minister Ramzan Kadyrov told Russian TV stations that the Chechen government was determined to eliminate international terrorism in the North Caucasus.

He said militants were preparing a large-scale terrorist attack in the Chechen town of Argun before the G-8 summit in St Petersburg, next month.

Chechen Cabinet Minister Muslim Khuchiyev told Interfax news agency that acting on a tip off-officers from the Akhmat Kadyrov special task force No 2 and the Argun district police department spotted Saidulayev's whereabouts and killed him when he offered armed resistance.

Saidullayev was proclaimed the successor of Chechen separatist leader Aslan Maskhadov who was killed by Russia's security forces in March 2005.

Chechen President Alu Alkhanov praised Chechnya's law enforcement agencies for the successful operation.

Russia's Federal Security Service said a policeman and an FSB officer had been killed in the special operation.

UNI XC SB RN1818