I don’t want revenge – injured Ingush president

Ingush President, Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, who was injured in an assassination attempt in June, has left hospital saying militants acting in Ingushetia, who will not surrender, will be eliminated.

After surviving an assassination attempt in the Ingush city of Nazran, Yevkurov underwent a series of operations at a clinic in Moscow. He says he is sure that it was militants who were behind the assassination attempt. At a press conference after leaving hospital the recovering leader said he is looking to see the law upheld.

“I’m not going to seek revenge. Those who surrender will be officially convicted, I’ll personally control it,” RIA Novosti agency quotes him as saying. “Those who don’t lay down arms and surrender will be eliminated. That’s the law, not my whim,” he added.

Yunus-Bek Yevkurov will spend a short time undergoing rehabilitation in the Moscow region before returning home.

"I hope to be back at work in a week's time," he told reporters on Monday.

A group led by Chechen warlord Doku Umarov claimed responsibility for the June 22 bombing, which also killed two men with the Ingush president.

Meanwhile, a joint counter-terrorism operation between the Chechen and Ingush interior ministries launched on June 16 is continuing. The Ingush leader, who masterminded the operation with Chechen counterpart Ramzan Kadyrov, vowed to continue the joint operation, saying “Militants had agreed long ago to jointly whilst we were acting separately.”

He added that joint Chechen-Ingush operations are bringing good results.

On July 8, a man who claims to be defense minister in the Islamist Chechen militant government, and is a close advisor to Doku Umarov, was detained. Rusteman Makhauri had been wanted for a number of major offences, including banditry and murders. His groups were mainly acting along the Chechnya-Ingushetia border.

“A corridor for those who want to lay down arms is still open. I do keep my word,” Yevkurov said.