Separatists attack Chechnya's Shatoi

An attack on the Chechen town of Shatoi was reportedly made by the Doka Umarov-led separatist grouping. It was the provisional and district police offices, the building of the local administration, the military commandant's office and barracks of federal forces deployed in Shatoi that came under militant fire, said the Shatoi interior department.

Shelling lasted over two hours. The law-enforcers retaliated and the attackers retreated. Two mortars and a banner with Arab symbols on them were found on the site.

Casualties among the military and law-enforcers have not been reported. Two policemen and a serviceman of the military commandant's office were wounded.

Another 4 policemen of the provisional police force received wounds when their armoured personnel carrier hit a mine on the Borzoi-Shatoi road chasing after the militant grouping. The wounded were hospitalised.

The military commandant office is searching for the attackers.