Chechen police killed in Ingushetia

In the worst attack of its kind in months nine Chechen police officers have been killed and another 10 wounded by assault rifle and grenade fire in Ingushetia.

The Chechen forces have been helping the Ingush police since late June when an attack seriously injured the Ingush president. He came out of a two-week-long coma yesterday.

Both Caucasian republics suffer from low-level insurgencies blamed on Islamic radicals, who have also claimed responsibility for the recent murder of neighbouring Dagestan’s Interior minister.

In all 55 policemen were traveling in a six-vehicle convoy on a side road when it was ambushed in the early hours of the morning. According to witnessess the ambush was well-prepared, with fire from three directions.