51.   On Friday, a top commander told ITAR-Tass that Russian troops were poised for major ground assaults in a string of villages in southern Chechnya.

52.   On Sunday night, Israeli warplanes attacked suspected guerrilla hideouts in two raids following ground assaults on Israeli troops and their Lebanese militia allies.

53.   On Sunday, they captured a road linking Achkhoy Martan and Samashky, signaling an imminent ground assault on the south of the breakaway republic.

54.   Russian forces captured a road linking two rebel-held villages Sunday, signalling an imminent ground assault on the south of breakaway Chechnya.

55.   Russian forces in breakaway Chechnya appeared set for a ground assault on southern rebel regions today after staging extensive air strikes and capturing a key road.

56.   Russian forces in Chechnya were reported preparing for a ground assault on rebel-held southern regions after staging massive airstrikes and capturing a key road.

57.   Russian troops were poised for major ground assaults in a string of villages in southern Chechnya, a top commander told the ITAR-Tass news agency Friday.

58.   Russian forces surrounding the Chechen capital have launched a ferocious air and ground assault on the city -- the largest so far of the war.

59.   Several reports quoted Kulikov as saying Vedeno was taken in a surprise ground assault.

60.   Sitting on red velvet cushions, sipping sweet green tea and chewing tobacco, they discuss a possible American ground assault.