Around 50-60 militants are still active in Russia's North Caucasus republic of Chechnya, the republic's president said on Wednesday.
"According to our information, there are about 50-60 militants on our territory. We are about to be done with them," Ramzan Kadyrov said in an interview with Russian News Service radio.
Sporadic terrorist attacks and militant clashes are common in Russia's volatile southern republics, where Russia has held two brutal wars against separatists in Chechnya, although the Kremlin has officially ended its military campaign against separatists and terrorists there.
Kadyrov added that the information on the number of militants in Chechnya provided by various departments differs greatly. According to the Federal Security Service, he said, there are 400-500 militants, while the Interior Ministry claims the number stands at 198.
"We must not create illusions on the greater number of militants. It would only play into their hands. They have the impression that they can't be caught," he said.
The Chechen president said also that notorious militant leader Doku Umarov would be certainly detained and it is only a matter of time.
"He [Umarov] has been recently hiding out in burrows. He dug one for himself and is sitting there and doesn't leave. Whoever comes out of them will be killed, and once he comes out, he'll be killed immediately, I give you my word...it's just a matter of time," Kadyrov said.
Umarov claimed responsibility for the March 29 metro attacks in Moscow, saying in a video message they were revenge for a special operation carried out by federal security forces on February 11, 2010, when 18 militants and four civilians were killed in Ingushetia. He threatened further attacks.
The two bombs detonated during the morning rush hour at the Lubyanka and Park Kultury metro stations in the Russian capital, killing 40 people and injuring over 100.
MOSCOW, June 16 (RIA Novosti)
