A gang up to twenty strong was tracked down to Surkhakhi, village in Ingushetia, autonomy bordering on Chechnya. Commandos killed three bandits in battle, and are pursuing survivors. An automatic, several bullet-proof vests, and a large store of cartridges were found on the battlefield, says an HQ spokesman.
Commandos came on another, smaller gang in the Starye Ataghi village outskirts on the Argun river bank, in Chechnya's Grozny district. One Islam Sugaipov died in battle. He had been notorious as member of warlord Issa Sadayev's gang. A submachine gun, a Mukha grenade-thrower, an automatic, and a considerable stock of cartridges were found on the battlefield.
Two bandits were tracked down near the village Sary Su, Shelkovsky district, Chechnya. One died in a skirmish, the other escaped. A search is on.
Bandits shot dead three officers of the Federal Security Service (FSB) and one of the federal Defence Ministry, reports a functionary of the Chechen Interior Ministry.
Officers of the FSB Chechen Board stopped a Volga car with no number plates in Grozny's Lenin district, 6.30 p.m., Moscow time, yesterday. When the officers demanded identity papers from the men in the car, automatic fire came in reply. Three FSB men and an officer second in command of an army reconnaissance battalion died on the spot. The criminals escaped.
