VLADIKAVKAZ, North Ossetia. Oct 2 (Interfax-AVN) - An operation to eliminate rebels who have crossed into Ingushetia from Georgia currently involves units of the Defense Ministry's 58th joint-arms army and Ingush and North Ossetian policemen.
"We plan to complete this operation by the end of the week. We have divided the area where rebels are located into sectors and are combing and shelling this area," chief-of-staff of the 58th army Vladimir Chirkin told Interfax-Military News Agency on Wednesday.
"In our estimate, the rebels have lost about 70 people. This figure is based on information received from different districts, and on intelligence from the shelled sectors. Many rebels have already been buried by local residents. We have found fresh graves in Samashki," he said.
"Seven rebels have been captured. Law-enforcement agencies are interrogating them, and the captives speak on circumstances of their breakthrough from Georgia," Chirkin noted.
Numerous weapons and ammunition depots, left behind by the rebels, have been discovered. "In addition to a large amount of small-arms, including machine-guns, we seize grenade launchers and shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missile systems. Two Igla shoulder- fired rocket launchers were found on Tuesday alone," said Chirkin.
Since the operation was launched, federal troops have lost 12 men killed. Twenty-six servicemen were wounded.