Russian forces have reportedly killed the leader of one of the rebel Chechen groups and two other militants.
Russia’s antiterrorism committee said one law enforcement officer was killed and another injured in a gunfight with the militants in Chechnya’s Vedeno district.
The dead leader, Adam Khushalayev, who had adopted the name Abu-Malik, had taken over as head of a rebel group after its leaders were killed in January.
Khushalayev had been a wanted man for over 10 years.
More than a decade after President Vladimir Putin’s government restored control over Chechnya, Islamist insurgents still stage frequent attacks in the region.