Four Russian soldiers killed in Ambush

A terrorist group ambushed federal operation forces in the Itum-Kalinsky district of Chechnya, Chechen Interior Ministry spokesman Ruslan Atsayev reported.

"Russian Interior Ministry operation forces units and commandant's office officials were returning from the Zumsoi village after investigating an explosion at a local elementary school on December 6, 2003," Atsayev said.

Terrorists opened fire with automatic weapons two kilometers from the Zumsoi village.

"After a two-hour battle, four soldiers of the commandant's office were killed, four wounded, and one reported missing," the Interior Ministry representative said.

A search for terrorists is being conducted in the Itum-Kalinsky district.