Heavily armed rebels launched overnight attacks on key points in Russia's Ingushetia republic bordering the breakaway Chechnya, early Tuesday, killing at least 48 people, Russian media reported.

"Among those killed are 18 law enforcement officers, mainly from the Interior Ministry, and 28 civilians," Yakhya Khadziyev, aspokesman for the Ingush regional interior ministry, was quoted assaying by Interfax news agency.

He said two rebel fighters, whose identities were being examined, had also been killed and another 30 people had been injured.

Meanwhile, the Itar-tass put the death toll at 47 with 41 others injured, citing a spokeswoman for the Ingush Prosecutor's Office.

The spokeswoman said the figures were preliminary and did not mention the death of rebel fighters.

Russian media quoted polices as saying that Acting Ingush Interior Minister Abukar Kostoyev, Nazran city prosecutor Mukharbek Buzurtanov and Nazran district prosecutor Bilan Oziyev were among the victims. But the reports could not immediately be confirmed.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said the military was setting up a field hospital in regional capital Nazran to treat injured people in the violence.

Some 200 heavily-armed guerrillas staged coordinated attacks inNazran and two other towns of Karabulak and Sleptsovskaya, leadingto fierce clashes with Russian law enforcement forces.

Russian media quoted Ingush presidential office as saying that the guerrillas retreated by daybreak and the situations in Ingushetia are under control of the local authorities. Operations are underway to track the attackers and the local prosecutor's office has launched a criminal investigation into the guerrilla raid.

Ingush president Murat Zyazikov announced a three-day mourning starting from Wednesday for the victims of the attacks and denounced that the raid was aimed at destabilizing the situation in Ingushetia.

Local interior ministry said the rebels, whose identity has notbeen confirmed yet, were wearing camouflage uniforms and masks during the clashes.

Chechnya's Interior Minister Alu Alkhanov said he believes Chechen rebel commander Shamil Basayev, who had repeatedly threatened to stage terrorist attacks in neighboring regions, was behind the lightning offensives.

Chechen separatist leader Aslan Maskhadov could also have been responsible for the attack, as he had reportedly declared that he was planning attacks on law enforcement headquarters and local government offices, the official added.

The guerrilla war between Chechen separatists and Russian forces continues to claim lives almost on a daily basis and occasionally spread into neighboring Ingushetia.

Source: Xinhua