Chechnya mass grave inquiry begins

Russian officials have begun investigating a mass grave that was discovered outside the Chechen capital, Grozny, last week.

Initial reports say it contains at least eleven bodies, but the grave has been mined, and the work is proceeding slowly.

The Interfax news agency says three of the victims have been identified, among them a sixteen-year-old Chechen boy who had been missing since late last year.

Russian military officials say the bodies belong to the victims of Chechen rebels; the rebels believe they are Chechen civilians killed by Russian troops.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service