Three rebels were killed in a federal operation in the Ingush village of Surkhakhi, a Russian military spokesman told Interfax on Sunday morning. A reconnaissance group spotted a rebel group of about 20 members three kilometers from Surkhakhi, and opened fire, inflicting losses on the rebels, said Ilya Shabalkin, spokesman for the anti-terrorist headquarters in the North Caucasus. "The bodies of three rebels, as well as military equipment and ammunition, were discovered at the scene on Sunday morning. "Intelligence suggests that the rebels' losses are far greater," Shabalkin said. He also said that the deputy emir of the village of Stariye Atagi Islam Sugaipov, who was a member of a rebel group led by Isa Sadayev, the emir of Stariye Atagi, was killed in a sweep operation on the outskirts of the village. Shabalkin said that on the eastern limit of Stariye Atagi federal servicemen spotted a rebel group preparing to cross the Argun River. Fire was opened at the rebels, but they managed to escape. An operation to track them down is underway. Automatic rifles and a grenade launcher were discovered at the scene. Another clash occurred near the village of Sary-Su in Chechnya's Shelkovskoi district, Shabalkin said. One rebel was killed when a rebel group was attacked from ambush. Measures are being take to detain the others, said Shabalkin. Federal servicemen did not suffer losses, the military spokesman said.
