Top Chechen rebel steps down, appoints successor
Chechen rebel leader Doku Umarov has stepped down and appointed Aslambek Vadalov as his successor to fight Moscow's central rule in the North Caucasus, the unofficial Islamist site kavkazcenter.com said Sunday.
The United States has listed Umarov - Russia's most wanted guerrilla - as a terrorist, a step likely to have pleased the Kremlin and helped a "reset" of relations with the White House after chilly ties with the previous Washington administration. (Reuters)
