Chechnya installs ex-rebel as president

Chechnya installed as president yesterday a 30-year-old with his own militia force, praised by allies for restoring order to the Russian province but accused by rights groups of killing and abducting civilians.

Ramzan Kadyrov, whose father Akhmad was assassinated in 2004 after seven months as president, swore to uphold Chechen laws in a lavish ceremony in Gudermes, his clan stronghold 30 km east of the capital Grozny.

Like his father, Ramzan Kadyrov switched to Moscow's side and was elevated with the Kremlin's blessing after fighting Russia's rule over its restive Caucasian province.