A Russian regional commander and four other officers were killed in an ambush as they responded to a guerrilla attack on the home of a local official in war-torn Chechnya on Sunday, Russia's NTV television reported. One rebel fighter was killed during the attack on the official's house, which was burned down, it said, according to Reuters. Rebels with grenades and machine guns ambushed the officers as they drove towards the village of Roshni-Chu where the house was under attack. Colonel Alexander Kayak, military commander of the Chechen region of Urus-Martan, died along with three fellow officers. A fifth died later of his wounds, and another was seriously injured. The official was not hurt. His son was taken away by the attackers but managed to escape. Earlier an Interior Ministry spokesman confirmed three deaths, including that of Kayak, but he was not available to confirm the NTV report.
