MOSCOW. March 3 (Interfax-AVN) - There was an armed clash in Chechnya's town of Argun late on March 1 involving security men of Chechen administration chief Akhmad Kadyrov.
Sources in Russian law enforcement told Interfax on Monday that four of Kadyrov's security men and three Chechen riot policemen were killed when Kadyrov's motorcade came under attack in Argun. The riot policemen had come to help the security officers. One attacker was also killed. The sources said the attack took place in the crossing of two streets.
However, in an interview with Interfax, Chechen prosecutor Vladimir Kravchenko told a different story.
He said there was no attack on the motorcade. Kadyrov himself was absent from the convoy, and his bodyguards took part in a special federal operation, he said.
Kravchenko said that on March 1, Chechen law enforcement was tipped off that a small rebel group was staying in the outskirts of Argun. A mixed police unit, joined later by Kadyrov's security men, was sent to the village to check the information. In Argun, the unit was ambushed, and the policemen and bodyguards entered an exchange of fire, the prosecutor said.
He confirmed losses in the mixed team, but did not specify them. He said several attackers were killed.
Meanwhile, Kadyrov offered his own explanation to Interfax.
When his motorcade was driving through Argun, Kadyrov witnessed "intensive shooting in the street." He told some of his bodyguards to stop and find out what was happening. "It turned out that a formation was conducting a special operation," he said.
He said his security men entered the battle to support the unit conducting the special operation.
Kadyrov said three rebels were killed and three others detained, among them the driver who had brought them to the scene. Those killed are being identified and the detainees are being questioned.
Kadyrov said he did not regard the incident as an attempt on his life.