KHANKALA, February 18 (AVN) -- Federal troops were accomplishing missions in the Argun gorge on eliminating guerrilla detachments there, occupied the dominant hills, improved their firing system and spotted guerrillas in the city of Grozny, its suburbs and other localities in the mountainous districts of the republic in the past 24 hours.
At the same time federals have been preparing for pulling their detachments out of the republic.
Special operations aimed to spot people connected with guerrillas are being held in the mountain localities; federals check documents of the locals and take other steps.
On Thursday federals occupied dominant hills in the district of Maliy Kharsenoi, broadening the zone of their responsibility in the south-east of the Urus-Martan district.
The detachments of the East group control the dominant hills of the river Bass gorge and deprive the rebels of a possibility to enter the mountainous districts of the republic through this channel.
Federal marines prevented guerrilla detachment near the Serzhen-Yurt locality from breaking through; three rebels were killed in the battle; the band itself was dispersed.
Interior Ministry troopes checked documents of the Goita, Elistanzhi, Staroschedrinskaya, Ischerskaya inhabitants to spot people connected with guerrilla detachments; 18 people are arrested for breaking passport regime while 23 for being suspected of connections with rebels.
Federals extracted eight cars that are listed in the federal search, three radio stations, seven grenades, five units of small arms.