17:42, 29 June 2004

Over 40 guerillas killed in recent armed clashes in Ingushetia

A military spokesman has put the overall number of guerilla casualties in armed clashes that followed rebel attacks in Ingushetia late on June 21 at more than 40, which significantly exceeds the figure announced by the media. Maj. Gen. Ilya Shabalkin, spokesman for the regional headquarters of the counter-terrorism operation in the North Caucasus, told Interfax on Tuesday that Federal Security Service units had killed 15 guerillas in downtown Nazran.

At least five guerillas were killed in an armed clash outside the Nazran border post. During several hours of fighting, the border guards fended off the attack, preventing the guerillas from seizing any weapons or medicines stored at the post, Shabalkin said. Another 15 guerillas have been killed by police units, he said.

Source: Interfax News Agency