Over 4000 missing in Chechnya : Human Rights chief

Moscow, July 11 (UNI) Chechnya's Human Rights Chief Nurdi Nukhaziyev today said over 4,300 people are missing in Russia's North Caucasus republic since the Chechen war started in 1994.

''Our records indicate that over 2,800 people disappeared in 2000-2007, and 1,500 disappeared in 1994-1996,'' Nukhazhiyev told RIA Novosti news agency.

Chechnya was devastated by wars, in 1994-1996 and 1999-2001.

Recently, Moscow has substantially scaled down its military presence in the war-ravaged republic.

However, gunfights and terrorist attacks still occur on a daily basis, in the area, despite a widely publicised amnesty for gunmen as announced by the Russian authorities.

The Western countries have strongly criticized Russia for alleged human rights violations in Chechnya.

The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg ruled in April that Russia must pay a Chechen woman about 70,000 dollars in compensation for moral damages related to her husband's disappearance and alleged killing in 2000.

About 200 similar cases are currently pending before the Strasbourg Court.

''These missing people disappeared without a trace during the so-called mopping-up operations at military checkpoints, rather than during combat action,'' Nukhaziyev said.

He added that many mass graves had been found in Chechnya, which might hold over 3,000 unidentified remains of military personnel and civilians, including those considered missing.

UNI