MOSCOW. Dec 1 (Interfax-AVN) - Counter-terrorist operations in Chechnya remain priority missions for the Interior Ministry Forces, Colonel Vasily Panchenkov, the chief of the Interior Ministry Forces' press service, told Interfax-AVN on Friday.
"Despite the severe blows inflicted on the militants, their warlords do not stop short of trying to bring terrorism activity into other regions. Therefore, the Interior Ministry Forces continue preventive operations in the territory of the Southern federal district in general," he said.
According to Panchenkov, the forces have already taken part in over 170 joint preventive operations, with over 15,000 personnel involved.
He also said that the reforms of commandants' offices in the northern and plain parts of Chechnya have completed, with allowed freeing more personnel to reinforce such offices in mountainous districts of Chechnya.
Pursuant to the Russian president's decree, the strength of the Interior Ministry Forces' 46th detached brigade, permanently deployed in Chechnya, was raised to 15,000 people, with maneuver regiments deployed in Urus-Martan and Gudermes, and two more battalions, manned with Chechen nationals, deployed in the Grozny rural and Vedeno districts.
By November 1, all conscripts were withdrawn from service with the Interior Ministry Forces in North Caucasus.
Panchenkov also said that military engineers and dog-service detachments discovered and destroyed about 200 roadside bombs and over 10,000 other explosive devices.
"The main part in countering bandits in Chechnya is played by the special-purpose units of the Interior Ministry Forces," he emphasized.
Over 90% of cases, when Chechen fighters were disarmed with militants detained are the merit of special forces. A number of pinpoint operations resulted in the destruction of top Chechen warlords including Shamil Basayev, Abdul-Khalim Saidullayev, Vakha Umalatov, Supyan Abdullayev and Lechi Iskeyev.
Panchenkov also said that the Interior Ministry Force lost 1.4 times less personnel this year than in 2005.