Heavy Fighting in Chechnya

Six servicemen and a police officer were killed in a day of heavy fighting in Chechnya, an official said Thursday. Another two policemen from the Moscow-backed administration’s force were abducted from their homes. Rebels fired on federal positions 19 times in the past 24 hours, killing four servicemen and wounding six, the official in the regional administration said on condition of anonymity. In Grozny, fighters fired on a Chechen riot police unit, killing one officer and wounding one. Also in Grozny, a sapper was killed and four were wounded trying to defuse an explosive device. One serviceman was killed and two wounded when their vehicle came under fire near the town of Argun, the official said. A riot police unit clashed with rebels outside the village of Shali. One rebel was killed and one detained, while four police were wounded. Meanwhile, two Chechen policemen were kidnapped Wednesday night from their homes in the villages of Ulus-Kert and Samashki, the official said. Federal forces responded to the attacks by using aviation to pound suspected rebel bases in the Vedeno and Nozhai-Yurt districts. They also used artillery in those areas, as well as in the Itum-Kale and Kurchaloi districts. Full Story