GROZNY. March 26 (Interfax-AVN) - A search for suspected rebels, terrorists and murderers was launched at the central market in the Chechen capital of Grozny in the early hours of Tuesday.
The market is surrounded by armored vehicles, and the residential area around it has been condoned off. Hundreds of merchants coming from various parts of Chechnya to Grozny have been forced to return home.
At Zavodskoy district interior department Interfax was told that the Chechen police, including riot police, are also involved in the effort.
Special attention is being paid to numerous piles of rubble and basements of ruined buildings that may house ammunition and explosives used for staging terrorist acts on Grozny streets.
Three people were detained in the first hours of the operation. The detainees are being identified.
Servicemen have not used arms so far. The term of the operation's completion has not been announced.
Grozny has no shops, and citizens have to do the shopping at the central market. According to official police statistics, it is the most criminal and dangerous place in the city. Several dozens of people, most of them policemen, have been killed at the market in the past two years.
Pin-point operations are underway in other Grozny district, a spokesman for the Chechen police told Interfax.