Medvedev fires Ziazikov from Ingushetian presidency

Time’s up for the president of Ingushetia, who has been sacked by President Medvedev.

Mosow has lost patience with the increasingly lawless Caucasian republic and Murat Ziazikov, who has been replaced by Yunus Bek Yekurov. The opposition has welcomed the appointment and pledged its support.

Bordering Chechnya, Ingushetia has been without a government since March when Ziazikov dissolved the administration and called for major social and economic reforms.

But he has failed since his appointment in 2002 to stem a low-level Islamist-styled rebellion, and a growing trend of murders and kidnappings. A leading opposition figure was shot in the head in a police car in August.

Earlier this month a Russian troop convoy was ambushed. The opposition says 50 soldiers died.

In September there were demonstrations against Ziazikov’s rule, with protestors claiming the administration was riddled with corruption and that the security forces were out of control.

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