Ex-militiamen in Dagestan demand acknowledgment of their status of veterans of combat operations

Nineteen residents of Dagestan submitted a lawsuit to federal court of Sovietsky district of Makhachkala demanding to acknowledge their status of veterans of combat operations and oblige Military registration and enlistment office of Kazbek district of the republic to issue veteran’s certificates for them.

The local residents who at the end of the nineties fought against units of gunmen deserve the same privileges that military veterans have, the militiamen’s attorney Sapiyat Magomedova told the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.

“On December, 22, 1997, international armed gangs of terrorists headed by Khattab attacked motorized infantry brigade No 136 dislocated in Buinaksk. The gangs drew off through Kazbek district, the only passage place the to the territory of Chechnya, in the settlement of Amir-Kort, altitude 1061”, Sapiyat Magomedova told the prehistory of the events.

”Militiamen’s squadrons took the most active part in combat operations against paramilitary groups of Chechnya in the settlement of Almak, Kazbek district, together with the servicemen of military unit No 96160 of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the personnel of Kazbek district Department of Interior Affairs and Department of Struggle against Organized Crime during armed confrontations with Khattab’s armed gangs at “Amir-Kort”, altitude 1061”, Sapiyat Magomedova added.

The claimants themselves state that as a result of the battle that lasted from 10:30 till 14:00 their “losses were: 5 wounded soldiers among the military, 3 killed and 4 wounded civilians”.

“Some persons from among the militiamen got state awards for brave and firm actions”, Datsi Saidulaev, resident of the settlement of Leninaul, Kazbek district, said.

According to him, on September, 5, 1999, during to period of battles, residents of the settlements of Kalininaul and Leninaul, Kazbek district, joining the militiamen’s squadrons fought against the gunmen who intruded into the territory of Dagestan in the area of Biliyargin.

The militiamen participated in combat operations against paramilitary groups together with law enforcement personnel and servicemen of commandant companies of military registration and enlistment offices.

In the lawyer’s opinion, the militiamen must be acknowledged veterans of combat operations, just the same as servicemen and law enforcement personnel, and have the same privileges.

“The claimants ask the court to acknowledge them veterans of combat operations and accordingly, acknowledge their right of the measures of social support stipulated by federal law “On Veterans”. They also ask Military registration and enlistment office of Kazbek district of the Republic of Dagestan to issue veteran’s certificates for them”, Magomedova concluded.

The statement of claim was taken cognizance. The date of trial and the judge who will consider the case have not yet been appointed, the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent was told in the registry of Sovietsky district court of Makhachkala.

The Ministry of Interior Affairs of Dagestan and Military registration and enlistment office of Kazbek district of Dagestan will be defendants in the process.

At the end of the nineties paramilitary groups headed by Khattab and Shamil Basaev intruded into the territory of Dagestan. Earlier, the “Caucasian Knot” reported that enlistment of volunteers of international brigades started in all the towns since the beginning of the aggression against the republic. Thousands of residents of Dagestan expressed willingness to go and fight against the gunmen.

The authorities of the republic then took an unprecedented decision: acquisition of arms was permitted and the arms already in the population’s possession were legalized. Reservists’ units and self-defense squads were created in the republic in accordance with an ordinance of State Council of Dagestan. Over 600 people who fought against the gunmen were rewarded state awards. In 1999 over four thousand people joined the self-defense squads in Kazbek district of Dagestan.