KHANKALA. May 28 (Interfax-AVN) - Federal troops are continuing special operations in the mountains in south Chechnya to stamp out rebels discovered there on Thursday.
Spokesman for the regional headquarters of the anti- terrorist operation in the North Caucasus Col. Ilya Shabalkin told Interfax on Friday that in the past few days "rebels have been suffering their heaviest losses in the recent period." Several dozen rebels have been eliminated, he said.
The reinforcements earlier involved in the operations in south Chechnya are returning to their barracks, Shabalkin said.
The supposed routes of rebel groups are being ambushed and other necessary measures are taken, he said.
Special forces continue to pursue the remaining scattered rebels. Two rebels were killed in an armed clash when woods between the villages of Dargo and Zhani-Vedeno were combed on Thursday. Improvised explosive devices ready for use were discovered at the scene and neutralized.
Three local scouts from a battalion led by Sulim Yamadayev were wounded when defusing one of the bombs, Shabalkin said.