Russia builds houses for Palestinian refugees in Chechnya
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The regional leader of the Chechen Republic announces that over 200 displaced Palestinians from Gaza have been provided with apartments in a newly constructed neighborhood.
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Chechen demonstrators gather during a massive rally in Chechnya's provincial capital Grozny, Russia, on January 22, 2016. (AP)
Ramzan Kadyrov, the regional leader of Russia’s Muslim-majority Chechen Republic, has announced that over 200 displaced Palestinians from Gaza have been provided with apartments in a newly constructed neighborhood in Grozny, the capital city.
The construction of five apartment buildings was commissioned by a foundation overseen by Kadyrov’s mother, Aymani, aimed at permanently resettling refugees who were welcomed to the region last November.
“Congratulations to the Palestinian brothers and sisters on finding new comfortable housing! I wish them never to see war again, to live in plenty and prosper!” Kadyrov said in a statement on Friday.
The refugees, originally accommodated at the Gorny Klyuch children’s resort southeast of Grozny, will now relocate to a ‘cottage community’ in the Visaitovsky District of the Chechen capital, where 209 individuals will reside in 40 newly constructed apartments, as stated by Kadyrov.
According to the Chechen leader, the construction of the complex was completed in approximately six months. During this period, 55 Palestinians secured employment, while their children and teenagers were enrolled in local schools and universities.
“Our immediate plans include the creation of a Palestinian community in the Chechen Republic so that refugees can preserve their national identity,” Kadyrov added.
The buildings were inaugurated during a ceremony commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Akhmat Kadyrov Foundation, named after Ramzan’s father, who played a pivotal role in quelling the decade-long separatist insurgency and reintegrating Chechnya into Russia.
“The Chechen people, like no other, know all the hardships of war. We have all gone through terrible trials, we have seen hunger, cold, and the death of loved ones. Therefore, the grief that befell the Palestinians is very close to us,” Kadyrov said in the announcement.
Kadyrov has consistently expressed his support for Palestinians amid the ongoing war. Since last October, over a million Palestinians have been displaced from their homes in Gaza due to the Israeli war on the Strip.
