A spate of bombings and killings in the North Caucasus have spurred fears that the conflict in Chechnya may be spreading across the region. Over the last 24 hours there have been three explosions in Ingushetia, one explosion in North Ossetia and a police officer killed in Dagestan (where 8 security troops were killed earlier this week) “reports the BBC”:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4253268.stm.
Are these attacks simply the consequences of tensions in the region? Or a deliberate campaign by the Chechen insurgency like “Shamil Basayev’s”:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shamil_Basayev failed attempt to take over Dagestan in 1999?
Basayev’s Dagestan foray, while supposedly an attempt to forge a transcaucasian Islamic state, was more likely aimed at securing oil pipeline real estate. These latest attacks, if they were deliberately coordinated, look more like a “4GW”:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_Generation_War attack on Russian authorities reminiscent of the “Moscow apartment bombings of 1999″:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Apartment_Bombings.
If the attacks were coordinated we’ll know soon enough. Basayev, who denied responsibility in the apartment blasts, has claimed Beslan and other attacks as his own. Recently “he claimed his mujahideen conducted a successful special operation in Moscow”:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4588039.stm which resulted in a city-wide power outage, causing major disruptions. If he does claim these new bombings, it may be evidence that he is changing his strategy, shying away from major military attacks to lower intensity 4G attacks.
Since this news is just breaking, I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
_Edited for clarity_
Important topic YH. The Transcaucasian-Southern Russian region is quite capable of societal disintegration if a tipping point is reached.
you think it’s cool to invent your own acronyms?
“4g attacks” does actually have a meaning outside your head?
Haven’t heard of 4th gen warfare eh Duran?
4G is a generic way to say fourth generation — fourth generation war is a somewhat technical term, and perhaps my dear comrade could have provided “a handy wikipedia link”:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_Generation_War to make things easier to understand for those of us not studying for advanced degrees in war studies ;)
I put in the [W] and a link to 4GW for those new to the party.
In semi-related news, “Mike Tyson will be heading to Chechnya”:http://mosnews.com/news/2005/09/15/tysonchechnya.shtml. Via “Nathan”:http://del.icio.us/nathanhamm#2005-09-16.
“In semi-related news, Mike Tyson will be heading to Chechnya.”
Talk about 4GW. It’s just no fair. I feel terrible for the Chechens now.
So no you added W in the end of it – 4G and 4GW are not the same to be honest.
For people familiar with this field of study, we still know what is meant when the W is dropped. It’s called being fluent. You should try it.
bq. So no you added W in the end of it ““ 4G and 4GW are not the same to be honest.
“no” and “now” are not the same either. But I understood you anyways. Would you like me to add a W for you?
In related Caucasus news, an FSB officer who alledgedly exposed evidence that pointed to government complicity in the 1999 apartment bombings in Moscow is “to remain in jail”:http://mosnews.com/news/2005/09/16/trepashkininprison.shtml ; Kabardino-Balkaria’s president “handed in his resignation with no explanation”:http://mosnews.com/news/2005/09/16/kabardaresign.shtml ; and “Chechen militants killed 6 pro-Moscow police and wounded 9″:http://mosnews.com/news/2005/09/17/killedpolice.shtml. Chechen sources also announced the death of Aslan Maskhadov’s ex-bodyguard “Emir” Akhmad Avtorkhanov was apparently killed last week.
Fourth Generation War & (?!) Fifth Generation War are covered in a post here last July. “5GW” With links to offsite material.
http://www.cominganarchy.com/2005/07/19/5gw/
Heir Rabbit laughingly countered: ” What you guys are saying about 5GW really sounds more like a W 4.1.”