October 14, 2001

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In the village of Katayama, unknown persons killed the husband and wife of the Bersanovs. The elderly people were found shot with a pistol in one of the rooms of their house on Derzhavin Street. Relatives and neighbors discovered the dead after 17:00, i.e. even before the so-called curfew. They are not sure that the crime was committed by the Russian military; perhaps one of the local residents was behind it.

Over the past week, eight people have been killed in the village of Katayama.

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The “cleansing” continued in the regional center of Kurchaloy for six days. For the first two days, the Russian military did not let anyone in or out of the village. On the third day, residents with local registration were allowed to enter, but it was still impossible to leave.

Kurchaloy was blocked from all sides with the help of armored vehicles, but armored personnel carriers were stationed not only around the perimeter, but also inside the village at intersections. The movement was completely stopped; Many residents could not get to their homes for a long time. Even those who were a few meters away from them.

The military who carried out the “cleansing” detained about 200 people. Everyone was herded into a field, outside the village, where they conducted something like a check against a computer database. The first to be detained on October 14 were students from a Muslim school – madrasah. Almost all of them were minors - the youngest were only 12 years old. Their teacher, 80-year-old Nasukha Akhmadov, went to the field with the students. Despite the entreaties of his relatives, he did not go home until the last of his pupils was released.

During the “cleansing” operation, the Russian military blew up several houses, including the house of local resident Abdurakhmanov. He himself was detained and, together with other villagers, taken to the field for filtration.

The story of Malika, a resident of the village of Kurchala: “I managed to get almost to the house through the gardens, all I had to do was cross the road, but there were armored personnel carriers and soldiers there. They shouted: “Stop, we’re shooting!” My neighbors, who were walking with me, stopped, and I asked who was the eldest. One military man in a blue camouflage uniform approached and began shouting: “Go back, I’ll shoot now!” I told them to shoot at the right people, but I just need to go to my house, I have a sick mother there. They didn’t seem to hear me and threatened me again.

Then I said: “Shoot if you are so brave and can shoot a woman.” I went, and their commander stood in front of me, shouted and called me obscenities. I say: “What are you doing? You must check the documents and let me through, and detain only those who are supposed to.”

Then my mother came out and saw me. All in tears, she approached the elder. Mom, after a stroke, speaks poorly, she only shouted: “Let my daughter go! Let my daughter go!” I said: “Do you see what condition the mother is in?! If anything happens to her, I will declare blood feud on you!” He says: “I have orders.”

And then the acting officer just came up. Commandant Terentyev. He said: “I know her, let her through” and wanted to leave, but I reminded her that there were still people there who couldn’t go home. They were simply afraid to approach and stood further away. I suggested that the military check their documents and let them go home, but Terentyev said that he had no right to order them.

Then I couldn’t stand it, tears came out. I said that if he can't order someone below him to let women go home, then I don't know who we should turn to for help. He repeated that they have their own bosses, he cannot order them, and that is why such an abnormal situation is developing.

Then it started to rain, the elder finally looked at the documents and barely let the neighbors go home. This went on for over an hour."

From the book “People Live Here”, Usam Baysaev, Dmitry Grushkin, 2006.