Russian authorities have put and end to "anti-terrorist operations" -namely the war that broke out in 1994 between the Russian army and pro-independence Chechen guerilla- in the Chechen republic. According to BBC, Russian president Dmitri Medvedev had announced the decision a few weeks ago when he declared that the situation in Chechnya was "stable enough" and that "new possibilities for investment and employment" had to be created.

Real steps towards pacification following Russian Anti-terrorist Committee announcement of the lifting of the "security regime" remain to be seen, though. Roadblocks and check-ins, curfews and regular searches, apart from clashes between State troops and rebels -and even between Chechen and federal police forces- are still frequent. The Alerta 2009! report on world conflicts published by Escola de Cultura de Pau (School for a Culture of Peace) informs that 33 insurgents were killed in the summer of 2008, and that a large number of houses belonging to families of alleged guerrilla fighters were burnt down. It also warns about the increasing number of kidnappings, people gone missing and assassinations of rebels and regime's critics, both in Chechen and abroad.

AFP, quoting the Russian agency Interfax, says the number of armed forces to be withdrawn may amount to 20,000. It also quotes pro-Russian Chechen president Ramzan Kadirov as saying that rebel leaders had been "eliminated, captured or taken to courts". Kadirov further expressed his "satisfaction" after Moscow's announcement.

Armed conflict in Chechnya has two phases or wars. The first one broke out in 1994 and went on for two years; the second one started in 1999 and has been brought to an end after the current Russian Anti-terrorist Committee announcement. However, clashes between parties already existed since the Republic declared its independence in 1991. Radical Islamism, disputes for power between Kadirov's administration and Federal authorities and finally the spreading instability to Ingushetia and Dagestan are additional factors brought into play in recent years.

Further information:

• BBC: Chechen problem far from over
  
• AFP: Russia ends 10 year Chechnya anti-terror operation
  
• RFE/RL: Is Chechen Leader Losing Moscow's Trust?