KHANKALA. Oct 4 (Interfax-AVN) - Leader of all rebel groups acting in Chechnya's capital of Grozny Murad Yusupkhadzhiyev has been killed, spokesman for the regional headquarters for the anti- guerrilla operation Colonel Ilya Shabalkin said on Friday.
Aslan Maskhadov appointed Yusupkhadzhiyev to this post after federal forces eliminated his predecessor Islam Chalayev (Bagram) in July this year. Yusupkhadzhiyev was also known for using the radio call-sign Abu-Sayaf, Shabalkin said.
The operation to kill Abu-Sayaf was conducted in Grozny's Zavodskoi district after federal forces learned from locals that he had turned up there.
Two pistols, including a Stechkin, grenades, and a radio transmitter were found on Abu-Sayaf.
Shabalkin said the eliminated guerilla leader was involved in the attack on the Chechen riot police force (OMON), the blast of a bus with OMON servicemen in the Leninsky district on April 18, which caused numerous casualties, murders of policemen, and other terrorist attacks.