Russian media reports that Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov is among a group of some 100 militants pinned down in forests at the juncture in southeastern Chechnya of the Nozhai-Yurt, Vedeno, and Kurchaloi districts are "lies," according to chechenpress.info, the website of Maskhadov's government, on 29 September (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 29 September 2004). The website claimed that Maskhadov is at a safe location preparing for a council of his field commanders, and that the resistance fighters who engaged in fierce fighting in recent days with members of the Russian federal forces and the pro-Moscow Chechen security force commanded by First Deputy Prime Minister Ramzan Kadyrov have escaped encirclement. Chechenpress.info gave the number of enemy casualties during the fighting as 25, adding that reports that military-intelligence (GRU) unit commander Selim Yamadaev was among those killed have not been confirmed. Kadyrov for his part told ITAR-TASS on 30 September that the Chechen resistance fighters are still surrounded and "there is no way for them to escape." LF
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