KHANKALA. Aug 20 (Interfax-AVN) - Col. Ilya Shabalkin, spokesman for the headquarters of the federal forces in the North Caucasus, has confirmed reports of an armed clash with a major rebel group in the village of Avtury in the Shali district of Chechnya.
"The fighting involves army formations and security of the Chechen administration chief," he told Interfax on Wednesday.
He said several dozen rebels are surrounded in Avtury. "Early reports say more than ten have been destroyed," he said.
Shabalkin said the headquarters has no information about prominent field commanders being among the besieged rebels.
The fighting in Avtury was still underway at 5:00 p.m. Moscow time on Wednesday.