| Six Russian soldiers died in Chechnya from rebel attacks and land mines. Three of the deaths came when Russian positions were fired on - in all, military positions came under fire 16 times over the past day. Two others died when a military convoy was attacked near the village of Serzhen-Yurt and another was killed when he stepped on a mine in the capital Grozny. It was not immediately clear whether that mine was laid by Russian forces or by rebels. No Russian air assaults were reported, but artillery pounded suspected rebel positions in five central and southern areas of the republic. Russian forces have firm control of the north, but have been unable to uproot rebels from the southern mountains and the fighters also filter into central regions. |