11.   Four hostages and one hostage-taker died in the swoop, and six hostages and five interior ministry troops were wounded.

12.   General Anatoly Romanov, commander of Russian interior ministry troops in Chechnya, said the search team would go to the Vedeno, Makhketi and Nozhai Yurt areas.

13.   General Pavel Maslov, chief of staff of the Russian interior ministry troops, and other senior officers launched an inquiry into the shooting.

14.   Grachev announced last week that defence ministry troops would be withdrawn progressively from the rebel republic starting in April.

15.   Grachev said the operation would be carried out chiefly by interior ministry troops and police backed by artillery and warplanes.

16.   Grachev announced last week that defence ministry troops would be withdrawn progressively from the republic starting in April, but said those assisting interior ministry forces would remain.

17.   Grudnov said defence ministry troops would be repositioned to the edge of the Grozny suburbs of Leninsky, Zavodskoy and Oktyabrsky.

18.   He said interior ministry troops would now take over to restore order in Chechnya.

19.   He was quoted by Interfax as saying interior ministry troops backed by artillery and armoured vehicles had retaken the centre.

20.   Hours after he spoke, Russian interior ministry troops exchanged fire with Chechen fighters overnight in the villages of Bamut, Balanssa and some areas of the capital Grozny.