A series of rebel attacks in the southern Russian republic of Chechnya early Friday left at least 17 people dead, including five pro-Russian policemen and seven civilians, Russian media has reported.
Four policemen and two civilians were killed at Martan-Chu, 40 kilometres southwest of the capital Grozny, in a lightning raid by separatist rebels who also made pre-dawn incursions into the neighbouring villages of Shalazhi and Gekhi-Chu.
Russian elite forces rushed to Shalazhi killed "five or six combatants," the defence ministry said.
Five Chechen civilians were killed and a Russian soldier wounded at Shalazhi during exchanges of mortar fire.
Another policeman was killed with two others injured in rebel pre-dawn attacks on federal positions in the southeastern Vedeno region.
AFP
