Authorities Report Destruction Of Chechen Band

7 September 2005 (RFE/RL) -- Chechnya's Interior Minister Ruslan Alkhanov said a militant group accused of an recent attack in the west of the restive southern Russian republic has been destroyed.

Alkhanov said some 30 rebels -- including their leader Kazbek Batalov -- were killed by Chechen Interior Ministry forces in recent fighting in western Chechnya.

According to Russian media, the militants were accused of leading an attack on the village of Roshni-Chu in southwest Achkhoi-Martan Raion last month. That attack left dead the village's military commander and four soldiers.

(AFP/ITAR-TASS)

For RFE/RL's full coverage of events in Chechnya, see "Crisis In Chechnya"