VLADIKAVKAZ. May 24 (Interfax-AVN) - Border guard units stationed on the Russian-Georgian border near the Targim village in the Ingush autonomous republic have been reinforced with a motorized rifle battalion of the 58th joint-arms army, a competent source in the army headquarters told Interfax-Military News Agency on Friday.
"The measure was taken because rebel groups staying in the Pankisi gorge might attempt to transfer forces, arms, ammo and foodstuffs to Chechnya through open mountain passes," the source said.
The battalion with an attached artillery unit and support group numbering a total of about 350 people was delivered to the village by army aviation helicopters.
The motorized riflemen established a temporary stationing point on the new operation site and started accomplishing assigned missions in cooperation with units of the North Caucasus regional border guard department. By current combat groups have tapped several basic mountain paths which were used for delivery of aid to guerrillas from the Pankisi gorge.