Vladikavkaz (Russia), Nov 14: Five Russian soldiers and three policemen were killed in attacks in Chechnya over the past day and Russian forces shelled suspected rebel positions in two sectors of the republic, an official in the Moscow-backed Chechen administration said. Three of the deaths came in attacks by rebels on Russian military outposts, the official said on condition of anonymity. The other WTO soldiers died in an attack on a mine-sweeping team, he said yesterday.
In the town of Argun, another team of sappers came under fire and one policeman was killed, said the official, adding that an attacker was also was killed in the incident. Two other policeman were killed in Argun in an attack at a market, he said.
In Vedeno, a town deep in the mountains where rebels shelter and resupply, two civilians died when they stepped on a mine on their way to the school where they worked, the official said.
The Chechen rebels make extensive use of mines, other explosives and hit-and-run attacks against the more numerous and more heavily armed Russian forces. Russian artillery and warplanes have not been able to uproot the rebels in the mountainous southern third of the republic and the insurgents also filter into the capital Grozny and other communities where Russian forces have a substantial presence. Bureau Report