GROZNY. Nov 11 (Interfax-AVN) - Chechen separatist leader Aslan Maskhadov has rewarded several warlords whose rebels took part in the hostage-taking incident at a Moscow theater.
Colonel Ilya Shabalkin, representative of the regional operative headquarters directing the anti-guerilla operations in the North Caucasus, told reporters on Monday that rewards were given at a meeting attended by Shamil Basayev.
The meeting took place in late October in the village of Eshilkhatoi, in the Vedeno district, he said.
Shabalkin also said he has information that the meeting's participants decided that Basayev should not head the armed groups anymore due to heath problems. Maskhadov "wants to subjugate all rebels in Chechnya and sees Basayev as a competitor," Shabalkin said.