Rebels attack town in Russia's Caucasus
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-10-13 15:12

Gunmen attacked a police headquarters and other government buildings in a Russian province near rebel Chechnya on Thursday and a battle was raging in the town, Russian news agencies reported.

Several simultaneous attacks were launched in Nalchik, main city of the Kabardino-Balkaria region, and fighting was going on in several parts of the town, Interfax reported, quoting local police.

News agencies had no details about the numbers of the attackers but described them as "religious extremists."

"At the present moment, federal forces have clashed with certain armed bands. Steps are being taken to eliminate the bandits," Nikolai Shepel, deputy state prosecutor for the region, was quoted as saying by Interfax.

Kabardino-Balkaria is a Muslim region in the Caucasus that borders the North Ossetia province where Chechen militants attacked a school in the town of Beslan in September 2004, resulting in the deaths of 331 people, half of them children.

Agencies said automatic firing resounded around the town and smoke was rising from the main police building that had come under attack.

Children were being evacuated from a school nearby, the agency said. Extra security forces were being drafted into the town.

Itar-tass news agency quoted police sources as saying three attackers had been killed and firearms and explosives had been seized.