Slightly EFL
A lorry loaded with explosives has rammed into a local government building in Chechnya, killing at least 30 people. The suspected rebel attack occurred in the town of Znamenskoye, in the north of the republic. Local government chief Sultan Ahmetkhanov said a truck filled with explosives had damaged part of an administration building and the headquarters of the Federal Security Service in the town, as well as about eight houses. At least 30 people were killed and two to three times that number were injured. The incident occurred at 1000 local time. If it is confirmed that the bombing was perpetrated by Chechen separatists, it would be their deadliest attack since the December incident in Grozny. It would also be the most serious attack since a March referendum tied Chechnya firmly within Russia. The vote was seen as a victory for Moscow, which has sought for almost a decade to quell the separatist rebellion which has claimed thousands of lives. Correspondents say that northern Chechnya, where the bombing took place, is considered the most stable part of the region. It was the first area to come under the control of Russian forces that entered the republic in 1999, starting the second war in a decade. |