Complex sentence: Basayev and Khattab were not welcomed as "liberators" as they had expected; the Dagestani villagers considered the invading force as occupants and unwelcome religious fanatics.
Split into simpler sentences: Basayev and Khattab were not welcomed as "liberators" as they had expected. Instead, the Dagestani villagers considered the invading force as occupants and unwelcome religious fanatics.