On-Don, Russia, July 19, SPA -- Gunmen attacked a two-car convoy carrying security forces in Chechnya on Tuesday and news reports said at least eight people were killed. Vladimir Gerasin, a regional spokesman for the Emergency Situations Ministry, said a car and a minibus carrying either Defense Ministry or Interior Ministry troops were traveling outside the village of Znamenskoye when assailants attacked. The forces returned fire and called for reinforcements, and then the vehicles exploded, Gerasin said. He said between eight and 15 troops were wounded, but did not have any immediate information on deaths. A regional spokesman for the Interior Ministry said at least two were killed and seven wounded. He said the two cars carried officers and riot police, according to a report of The Associated Press. However, Russian news agencies reported that at least eight people had been killed in the attack. News reports cited unnamed local officials as saying that civilians were among the victims.
