WTF RLY?Reports out of Russia have confirmed that a gun battle erupted in Chechnya’s capital city of Grozny, killing unknown numbers of police and gunmen. Most of the details cannot be confirmed but what is clear is that the security response was significant and the battle left the city’s news media center in flames.
Rocket fire was partially responsible for the damage to the building.
The conflicting reports have claimed that at least 5 police have been killed along with 7 or more attackers. Some initial reports claimed that the response killed the entire group of attackers, others noted multiple groups attacking numerous targets including an army barracks.
The attack comes after warnings from “ISIS” in recent weeks claiming the same region would be targeted. A LifeNews report echoes claims that multiple targets were planned.
globalvoicesonline.org
According to the Russian news service Lifenews.ru, the militants are suspected of hijacking three taxicabs southwest of Grozny and using the vehicles to infiltrate the city. They were en route to an unknown target, when traffic police stopped their convoy and discovered a massive arsenal of automatic guns, grenades, and other weapons. This was when violence reportedly broke out, leading to the deaths of several police officers.Claims that militants arrived in three taxicabs don’t square with other reports about the number of armed men now battling Grozny police. Russian website TJournal.ru spoke to an eye witness who speculates that as many as 50 armed militants are currently roaming Grozny’s streets. According to the witness, most people in Grozny speculate that the incursion is a failed effort to attack Grozny’s airport, where Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov’s private jet was expected to land around the time of the incident.
A video later surfaced which took credit for the attack.
On Twitter, Russian users allude to an audio message from the militants where they claim to have 300 men in Grozny. Bloggers also uploaded a low-resolution video featuring several men spouting Islamic rhetoric, taking credit for the events in Grozny, promising to die in the fight against Islam’s enemies. Within an hour, YouTube users added Russian subtitles to the two-minute video, which ties the attackers to Aslan Byutukayev, a Chechen insurgent commander and ally of the late Dokku Umarov, the former Caucasus Emirate leader.
An Associated Press report noted the video may have come from a known media group friendly to factions in the region.
Al Jazeera
The Kavkaz Center website, is believed to serve as a mouthpiece for Islamic groups operating in Russia’s North Caucasus, was linked to a video message by an individual claiming responsibility for the attacks unfolding Thursday morning, according to the Associated Press.
http://wtfrly.com/2014/12/04/press-center-in-chechnya-burns-after-gun-battle/#.VICF1DHF-So
Heavy street fighting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IPF_lCgIjI
Hope this is not western sponsored terrorism.