“Accidental Deaths” in Ingushetia
La Russophobe has published a translation from the NGO Memorial, detailing a botched armed attack by the Russian military which had claimed the lives of at least four civilians who had gone out walking in a valley to pick wild garlic:
On February 11th, according to witness Adlan Mutayev, four individuals (Shamil Katev, age 19; Movsar Tataevym, age 22; Arbi Mutayev, age 20; and his brother Adlan, age 18) came under automatic weapons fire as they exited the forest with bags full of wild garlic. Shamil and Movsar were wounded, while the two brothers fled. Wounded in the leg, Adlan concealed himself in a ditch and when the Russian forces approached, he was not noticed. He spent two days hiding out in the forest until he was finally rescued by local residents, having contracted frostbite. Arbi also attempted to hide, but was apprehended by Russian forces, heavily armed men of Slavic appearance wearing camouflage uniforms. The brought him back to the place where his two comrades were lying wounded and ordered him to move the bodies, according to Arbi. Shamil begged the soliders not to kill him. Unable to lift his friends, Arbi pulled his cap down over his eyes and then heard shots being fired. The soldiers then left the two corpses lying in the snow and carried Arbi away with them, torturing him in the woods for two days before releasing him.
A group of 13 local residents then formed as search party andcombed the woods for missing family members. They discovered thecorpses of Shamil and Movsar as well as Ramzan Susaev (aged 41) andMovsar Dakhaev (aged 18).
Shamil’s body had multiple gunshot wounds to the forehead. Hispassport, mobile phone, and written permission to collect wild garlichad been taken from his pockets. The young man had been collectingproduce to sell in the hopes of having enough money to pay hiselectric bill. He lived in abject poverty with his father and foursiblings, the youngest being just 10 months old.
Movsar’s body had three gunshot wounds and multiple stab wounds,including in the back and groin consistent with a ritualistic killing. Relatives paid for his funeral, because the family could not afford it.
Ramzan Susayev, according to his family, was shot in the chest. Healso had a broken back and a broken left hand, and gunshot wound on theright side. His brother was a member of the 13-man search party, andfound him lying next to a bag full of wild garlic and his hoe, used togather them. The bag was also photographed. His relatives stated thata representative of the Prosecutor’s office appeared at the funeral andphotographed the body.
Movsar Dakhayev had three bullet wounds in the back. It was hisfirst trip into the woods to collect wild garlic, and he had begged hismother to let him go. He had a photograph of himself taken with his cell phone, which survived the attack.
A fifth villager, Mair-Ali Bakhayev (aged 45), is still missing. His fate is unknown.
