Russian troops clash with Chechen militants, 8 killed

[News_Editor]

Russian troops clash with Chechen militants, 8 killed

2012-01-10 00:30:58 GMT+7 (ICT)

MOSCOW, RUSSIA (BNO NEWS) -- Eight people were killed on Sunday and more than a dozen others were injured when troops clashed with militants in Russia's North Caucasus republic of Chechnya, officials said on Monday.

The violence occurred on Sunday morning in the Vedensky district of Chechnya when Russian troops and police officers clashed with local militants. The shootout left four soldiers and four militants killed, while sixteen soldiers were injured.

Describing the scene, Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov said the security forces were in the middle of deep snow and thick fog while facing an armed group consisting of 10 to 15 people, including several senior militants. However, police sources told RIA Novosti that the militants had been 'blocked' in the area's forest while additional troops were gathering at the site.

Violent clashes are not uncommon in the region, where Russia has been battling Islamist insurgency in the North Caucasus, which saw two violent wars against separatists in Chechnya during the past 20 years. Ingushetia, along with the neighboring republic of Dagestan, has been experiencing increased violence from both street brawls and terrorism in the recent years.

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