GROZNY. Sept 24 (Interfax-AVN) - Most members of a rebel group that entered the village of Alleroi in Chechnya's Kurchaloi district last night have been killed as a result of a special-task operation, the republic's First Deputy Prime Minister Ramzan Kadyrov told Interfax.
"Urgent measures were taken, and the rebels were squeezed out of Alleroi within a short period of time. Massive casualties among the rebels have been reported," said Kadyrov, who is also head of the Chechen security service.
"The bodies of five rebels have been found in this village and its suburbs alone. But the latest report suggests that the number of killed rebels is much higher," he said.
The rebels launched a grenade attack and set fire to the house of Salman Abuyev, Kurchaloi district police head who was killed by rebels two years ago, Kadyrov said, blaming the Alleroi raid on the group led by Akhmed Abdarkhanov.
He confirmed that more rebels have been killed as a result of other operations carried out in the village of Mairtup, as well as near the villages of Tsentoroi and Avtury. None of the law enforcement officers or federal soldiers engaged in the operations have been killed or injured, Kadyrov said.
"The forest where the rebels are reported to be hiding has been sealed off, and security service officials and federal troops are combing the area. Other measures are being taken as well," he said.