Chechen armed groups are being blamed increasingly for taking hostages not just on Chechnya's own territory, but on that of neighbouring republics as well. And now the activities of Chechen gangs has brought a response from one of the neighbours, Dagestan, where a previously unknown group called the "People's Militia" says it's captured seven Chechen journalists - and will only release them if hostages held in Chechnya are released. The BBC's Malcolm Haslett looks at the background:

This year, according to Russian federal sources, over 200 people have been kidnapped in the regions bordering Chechnya, and then transfered to Chechnya and held hostage. This is in addition to the hundreds of people abducted in Chechnya itself.

The regions most affected are Dagestan and Ingushetia, which together occupy most of Chechnya's frontier, but cases have also been reported from the Stavropol region of Russia itself.

It was perhaps inevitable, then, that someone would try to retaliate. Little is know of the group calling itself the "People's Militia", but it's at least possible that it includes members of the official police in Dagestan. They've been particular targets for the kidnappings.

A week ago seven Dagestani policemen were abducted from a checkpoint on the Dagestani-Chechen border by what was reported to be an armed group of 100 Chechens. The Dagestani "People's Militia" is now demanding their release, along with other Dagestani hostages in Chechnya who, they claim, number 100.

The Chechen administration argues its "Special Brigade for Freeing Hostages", led by Magomad Magomadov, is doing its best to curb the hostage-takers.

Grozny also claims some of the kidnappings are the work of Russian special forces - in order to blacken Chechnya's reputation. It would be no surprise if there was at least some truth in the accusation. There has always been a lot of anti-Chechen feeling in Russia, and particularly - since the war - among the military and security establishment.

But that cannot hide the fact that this is basically Chechnya's problem. The spiral of kidnappings is an increasing headache for Chechen leader Aslan Maskhadov, struggling to win outside support for Chechnya's demand for independence.

If Chechnya cannot establish good and peaceful relations even with its Muslim neighbours, the Ingush and the Daghestanis, then what hope is there of wider support and recognition?

Yet in a country devastated by the 21-month war with Russia, where there is little opportunity for gainful employment and where guns are so readily available, it's an almost impossible task to control the hostage-takers.

The ransoms paid by some organisations - including Russian TV companies - have been among the few injections of capital into the impoverished republic. That has prompted some senior Russian officials to suggest that at least some Chechen officials are themselves involved in the "kidnapping business".

Whatever the truth of that accusation, the kidnappings are not helping Chechnya's cause in any way other than a short-term injection of cash. The European Union's representative Ernst Muehlemann spoke for much of the world last month when he said that no EU money would flow to Chechnya until the kidnappings stop.

Back to top | BBC News Home | BBC Homepage	©