Militants storm Chechen Parliament

CHECHNYA: Militants Tuesday stormed Parliament in Russia’s conflict-torn region of Chechnya, holding deputies and gunning down three people, before being killed in a standoff with security forces.

The group of up to four militants broke into the Parliament building in the Chechen capital Grozny early in the morning, sparking fears of a major hostage crisis before security forces moved in.

Officials said that all the militants were killed after an hour-long standoff, with two of the rebels shot dead by the security forces and two killing themselves by detonating suicide charges.

Shaken deputies wearing bullet-proof vests were led out to safety by the security forces while headscarved women who work into the Parliament were guided into an armoured personnel carrier.

“We heard shots in the courtyard and we knew they were trying to take us hostage. We managed to take refuge on the third floor where we stayed until the end of the operation,” spokesman for the Chechen Parliament, Zelim Yakhikhanov, told AFP.

Chechnya’s leader Ramzan Kadyrov said in a statement that Chechen security forces staged an intense 20-minute operation to kill the militants and free the parliament deputies and employees from the building.

“All deputies are alive and were taken from the territory of the parliament building to safety,” Kadyrov said.

Three people two police working as security at the parliament and one civilian employee were killed in the raid, the investigative committee of prosecutors said, adding 17 people were wounded. GROZNY, Wednesday, AFP