Militant killed in Chechnya

A militant who blew up a Russian Defense Ministry motorcade was killed in Chechnya, RIA Novosti was told in the Regional Operational Staff for controlling the counter terrorist operation in the North Caucasus.

"Yesterday about midnight an unidentified device laid on the roadside exploded in Gudermes [second largest Chechen city] on Tereshkovoi Street when a GAZ automobile with servicemen of the detached rifle battalion under the Russian Defense Ministry was moving toward its disposition," said a source.

After the explosion, the man who was near the scene resisted with a hand grenade and was killed by return fire, said the source. He turned out to be local resident Osmayev, a participant of illegal armed formation.

No one suffered in the explosion.

A large base of militants was eliminated in the Vedeno district of Chechnya, RIA Novosti was told in the Regional Operational Staff.

"Federal forces discovered and eliminated a militants' base consisting of eight dugouts and designed to accommodate 100 people to the south of the Tevzana village of the Vedeno district," said a staff representative.

In his words, when the base was inspected, self-made explosive devices, foodstuffs, explosives, aluminum powder, audio cassettes, writing books with notes on how to produce homemade remote-controlled explosive devices were discovered.

"The militants' base and the ammunition were destroyed on site," said the source.