Russian Troops Fight with Large Chechen Rebel Group

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, September 27, 2002

Russian Troops Fight with Large Chechen Rebel Group

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Some 76 Chechen gunmen were killed,while Russian troops lost twelve servicemen Thursday in a heavy fighting with Chechen rebels in Russia's republic of Ingushetia bordering Chechnya, Russian news agency reported.

Fierce fighting erupted early Thursday between a large group of Chechen rebels and Russian troops and police near the village of Galashki in Ingushetia.

Itar-tass news agency quoted a military spokesman as saying that some 76 gunmen were killed in the battle, while Russian troops lost twelve servicemen, including two pilots whose Mi-24 helicopter was shot down by a portable anti-craft missile launcher.The helicopter, used for fire support, crashed onto a village, killing the two crews on board, the agency said.

It said the rebels also fired upon another helicopter but did not damage it.

Deputy commander of Russian forces in the North Caucasus said Russian forces surrounded Galashki, which is located in a gorge in Ingushetia less than one kilometer from the border with Chechnya.

Latest Itar-tass report said the fighting was over and Russian troops were making mopping-up operations.

The Kremlin information office said Russian forces found a man' s body who is carrying a British passport and a video camera.

Itar-tass said Arabs, a Turk and a Georgian national were also found among the dead fighters, and none of the dead rebels had Russian identity papers.

The Kremlin said the rebel group numbered 300 and was headed by Chechen field commander Abdul Malik. It said the fighters had originated in Georgia's Pankisi Gorge and crossed the border in small groups.

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