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Chechen militants attack with toxic substance

MOSCOW: Chechen militants used toxic material in an attack on Sunday on Russian troops in Grozny, ITAR-TASS news agency said, quoting unnamed Russian military sources. The militants exploded "several" devices containing chloride and ammonia, producing a green cloud over the city, ITAR-TASS said.

Russian troops in the vicinity donned gas masks but none suffered physically from the attack. The cloud could pose a danger however to civilians still in Grozny, Russian military sources said, according to ITAR-TASS.

Russian and Chechen forces have in recent days traded accusations Ñ none of which has been possible to verify independently Ñ of use of chemical or other unconventional weapons in the fighting in Chechnya.

Twice last week Russian troops were briefly put on "gas alert" after Chechen forces exploded isterns believed to contain chloride, the Russian military said.

Chechen leaders on Friday also accused Russian forces of using napalm in an attack on rebel positions in the mountains in the southwest of the breakaway republic.

ITAR-TASS, quoting Russian sources, meanwhile said Chechen militants had suffered "heavy losses" during the past day in fighting in southern Chechnya, notably around the town of Serzhen-Yurt southeast of Grozny.

There was no comment on the report from the Chechen side.

Eight Russian fighters have been killed and 16 wounded in the fighting over the past three days, ITAR-TASS said, citing information from the Russian military command in the Caucausus. AFP