Seven killed in Chechnya shootouts

By Xinhua

Moscow : Four police officers and three guerrillas were killed in two separate shootouts in the Russian republic of Chechnya, media reports said Monday.


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Three policemen and three gunmen were shot dead in a gun battle in Khatuni village of southeastern Chechnya's Vedeno region, Itar-Tass said, quoting the Chechnya interior ministry spokesperson. Four police officers were also wounded.

The slain militants were suspected to be members of Supyan Abdulayev's group.

In a separate clash in southern Shali district, a police officer was shot dead during a special operation to detain a wanted 30-year-old resident in a forest village, Itar-Tass said.

The past 12 years have seen Russian forces fighting two wars to quell the violent separatist rebellions in Chechnya. An estimated 100,000 of Chechnya's 1 million people and some 10,000 Russian servicemen have been killed in the conflict, according to official figures.

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