MOSCOW, April 6 (AVN) - Large rebel formations are currently concentrated in Chechnya's Vedeno and Nozhai-Yurt districts, Deputy Chief-of-Staff Valery Manilov told a news briefing in the Russian Information Centre Thursday.
Several small groups totalling about 100 guerrillas were detected in the vicinity of Achkhoi-Martan, Goity and Gekhi. On the whole currently there are about 3,000-3,500 rebels in the territory of the republic, Manilov said.
The deputy chief-of-staff confirmed the presence of several separatist reconnaissance groups in the Botlikh and Zumandin districts adjacent Dagestan. According to him, extremists in Chechnya have escalated night raids, they try to ambush federal convoys, attack checkpoints and outposts.
At present main rebel leaders Shamil Basayev and Jordanian mercenary Khattab are hiding in either the Nozhai-Yurt or the Vedeno districts of the republic, Manilov went on to say. Currently they are trying to organise the dispersed gangs and break away from the territory of Russia.
The general also announced the official losses of the federal forces. Since March 31 the army has lost 21 killed in action and 48 wounded. Interior Ministry troops losses made 38 KIA and 47 wounded.
During the whole period of the campaign since August 1999 federals lost 2,095 KIA and 6,171 wounded.