Six Chechen civilians were killed and several others wounded when Russian troops fired on a minibus near the town of Argun, 15 kilometres (nine miles) east of the capital Grozny, the rebel leadership claimed Tuesday.
The minibus was passing a control post, on its way to Grozny, when federal troops hunting rebel guerrillas opened fire on the vehicle, a spokesman for Chechen separatist president Aslan Maskhadov told AFP.
Meanwhile, Russian troops killed 17 Chechen rebels in a series of clashes across the breakaway republic over the past 24 hours, the federal military told ITAR-TASS news agency on Tuesday.
Around 30 people were also arrested on suspicion of rebel activity as Russian special troops carried out over 22 "mopping up" operations in the Nozhai-Yurt, Vedeno and Itum-Kale districts of Chechnya, ITAR-TASS said.
Meanwhile, federal troops discovered 31 secret arms depots and seized rockets, anti-tank guided missiles, grenade launchers, machine guns and other weapons, Russian army sources told Interfax.
Moscow has been fighting a two-year war against separatist guerrillas in the southern republic of Chechnya since launching its "anti-terrorist" intervention on October 1, 1999 --, Ingushetia, (AFP)
Reports: Six Civilians, 17 Rebels Killed in Chechnya
Six Chechen civilians were killed and several others wounded when Russian troops fired on a minibus near the town of Argun, 15 kilometres (nine miles) east of the capital Grozny, the rebel leadership claimed Tuesday.
The minibus was passing a control post, on its way to Grozny, when federal troops hunting rebel guerrillas opened fire on the vehicle, a spokesman for Chechen separatist president Aslan Maskhadov told AFP.
Meanwhile, Russian troops killed 17 Chechen rebels in a series of clashes across the breakaway republic over the past 24 hours, the federal military told ITAR-TASS news agency on Tuesday.
Around 30 people were also arrested on suspicion of rebel activity as Russian special troops carried out over 22 "mopping up" operations in the Nozhai-Yurt, Vedeno and Itum-Kale districts of Chechnya, ITAR-TASS said.
Meanwhile, federal troops discovered 31 secret arms depots and seized rockets, anti-tank guided missiles, grenade launchers, machine guns and other weapons, Russian army sources told Interfax.
Moscow has been fighting a two-year war against separatist guerrillas in the southern republic of Chechnya since launching its "anti-terrorist" intervention on October 1, 1999 --, Ingushetia, (AFP)
