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Nazran





Nazran (Назра́нь; Ingush: , ) is a town in Russia. It was a capital of the Republic of Ingushetia in 1991–2000, before the town of Magas was specially built as a new capital. Nazran's population is estimated at 134,280 as of 2008.


General



Nazran was founded in the 18th century. After becoming a military fortress in 1817, Nazran saw large numbers of Ingush population moving into it. It acquired town status in 1967.

During the Soviet period, Nazran was a district center within the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. After Ingushetia was separated from Chechnya in 1991, the town became the Republic's capital. This brought about a sharp increase in population: while counting 18,246 inhabitants according to the 1989 Census, during the 2002 Census Nazran had as many as 125,056 inhabitants.

Nazran continues to be the center of the Nazranovsky District, while itself being separate from it, holding the status of a town under the Republic's administration.

Nazran is located on the M29 federal highway and has a railway station on the Rostov - Baku line.

2004 rebel raid on Nazran


In 2004 a force of Chechen and ethnic Ingush rebels carried out a large-scale raid on Ingushetia, led by Shamil Basayev. The overnight attacks targeted fifteen official buildings in Nazran, and at least three towns and villages located on the Baku-Rostov highway that crosses the republic from east to west.

The raid lasted nearly five hours, and the assailants - said to number 200 to 300 - withdrew almost unscathed; the raiders apparently lost only two men during the attacks. The rebels killed 67 members of security forces, including the republic's Interior Minister Abukar Kostoyev, his deputy Zyaudin Kotiev, top prosecutors, and other officials; they also captured and looted the MVD's armory and police depots. 25 civilians, including a local United Nations worker, were killed in the crossfire.

Federal Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev met with General Vyacheslav Tikhomirov, the commander of Russia's Interior Ministry forces, and blamed them for the high number of deaths. Tikhomirov decided to resign after the meeting.

2008 protests


Widespread protests erupted in January 2008, with a strong government response. The disturbances appear to have been fueled by heavy-handed government and para-military activity, including abductions, arrests and murders. Protesters demanded the resignation of President Zyazikov, an ally of President Putin.


Source: Wikipedia