2006 Avtury ambush

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Avtury ambush


caption=
partof=Second Chechen War
place=Near Avtury, Chechnya
date=July 4 2006
result=Rebel victory
combatant1=
combatant2= Chechen separatists
commander1=?
commander2=Abu Hafs al-Urduni
Isa Muskiyev
strength1=
strength2=
casualties1=Officially 6-7 killed and 12-20 wounded
Rebels claimed 20 killed and 30 wounded
casualties2=Officially none
campaign=Campaignbox Second Chechen War (guerilla phase)

Avtury GRU ambush was the July 4 2006 ambush in Chechnya.

The attack

15-20 Chechen rebel fighters led by Abu Hafs al-Urduni & armed with heavy machine guns, assault rifles, grenade launchers and rocket propelled grenades opened fire from a forested area in Avtury on a motorized column of the GRU Spetsnaz 16th Brigade from Tambov, composed of several military trucks and one armoured personnel carrier.

The attack which lasted for about an hour completely destroyed the motorized column and killed between 7 to 30 Russian soldiers and wounded as many as 30 others, effectively stopping the reinforcements and weapons being sent to Russian troops in Avtury Chechnya according to the Russian sources. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5147898.stm Russians killed in Chechen attack] BBC News, 4 July 2006] Separatist websites announced the attack was a "meticulously planned act of revenge" by Commanders Abu Hafs al-Urduni and Abu Yassir for the death of the Chechen rebel leader Abdul-Halim Sadulayev. They said the Russians lost "near 40" men and that they themselves suffered no casualties. A video of the attack which circulates on the internet was made giving a tribute to Abdul-Halim Sadulayev and then showing the planning and execution of the attack. [ [http://kavkazcenter.com/eng/content/2006/08/01/5158.shtml Video. Commander Khalid Tells About Chechen Attacks] Kavkaz Center, 1 August 2006]

On the same day, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the term "combat operations" can no longer be used with regards to Chechnya: "There are outbursts of terrorist actions, but no combat actions in Chechnya," Putin said.

References

External links

* [http://kavkazcenter.com/eng/content/2006/08/10/5254.shtml Video: Special action in Avtury] Kavkaz Center, 10 August 2006