Russia winds down Chechen blockade

Russian troops have been in Chechnya since 1999

Russian soldiers are reported to have begun loosening a blockade of the Chechen town of Argun after a five-day operation to hunt suspected rebel leaders.

Russian sources say 12 Chechen gunmen were killed after a convoy of troops after an ambush on Monday killed two Interior Ministry troops.

Another 14 Chechens were detained on suspicion of co-operating with rebels.

Human rights groups have accused federal forces of indiscriminate killing.

The roops sealed off Argun on Thursday, preventing men of fighting age from entering or leaving.

The Itar-Tass news agency said that helicopter gunships were used in Monday's fighting to wipe out rebel gun emplacements positioned in Argun's streets.

Rubble

Five of the Chechens who died were buried under the rubble of a destroyed building.

Seven were killed by Russian gunfire.

Five Russian troops were injured.

Argun, which is only a few kilometres from the regional capital, Grozny, has been a centre of resistance against the Russians since their current campaign to crush the Chechen uprising began more than two years ago.

Criticism 'subdued'

Human rights activists who have been able to gain access to Chechnya accuse the security forces of killing people at random.

They allege that relatives of the deceased are often obliged to confess that their dead family member was a rebel fighter in order to get back the body.

Human rights groups say Western criticism of Russia's war in Chechnya has been subdued since Moscow gave its unequivocal support to the United States' campaign against international terrorism.