Zamid Chalaev, commander of the special police regiment of Chechnya’s Interior Ministry, has offered a $100,000 reward for information about people involved in bombings or planning acts of sabotage, state news agency Chechnya Today reported on Monday.
The offer comes amid a series of security operations in Chechnya, following an incident in Gudermes district in which security forces killed a man suspected of involvement in sabotage and detained another. The raids have been accompanied by threats from Chechen officials against people suspected of aiding militants, as well as increased security checks across the republic.
Chalaev urged residents of the republic to provide security forces with information about people who might be connected to such activities. He said the reward would be paid for ‘substantial’ and ‘valuable’ information.
‘If you would feel distressed and hurt if your child, brother, mother, or sister were harmed in an explosion, you can contact us and provide information. If the information is substantial and valuable, you will be given $100,000’, Chechnya Today quoted Chalaev as saying.
The regiment commander also said that people who had been involved in such activities but had not taken part in killings would be helped to get out of the situation. According to him, they would be able to ‘be useful to their homeland’ and receive financial assistance.
OC MediaElizaveta Chukharova
Chalaev’s statement came amid an intensification of security operations in Chechnya. Last Thursday, Chechen Head Ramzan Kadyrov said that security forces had killed a man suspected of involvement in acts of sabotage in Gudermes district and detained another. According to Chechen Interior Minister Aslan Iraskhanov, the suspects had carried out an explosion near an administration building last year and were planning an attack on a traffic police checkpoint.
At a meeting of law enforcement officials following the killing of a local resident, whom the opposition Chechen channel NIYSO identified as Turpal-Ali Mezhidov, Kadyrov singled out Chalaev’s work for praise and thanked him.
In the days following the incident, security forces conducted mass raids and increased patrols on roads and at borders across the republic. The NIYSO reported checks in several localities.
Last Monday, Chalaev issued threats against residents suspected by security forces of aiding extremists and militants. In his appeal, he said he would show no restraint towards such people and threatened to shoot without trial or due process anyone who helped the suspects.