51.   Three interior ministry troops were killed, eight wounded and three vehicles were destroyed, the spokesman said.

52.   When Russian interior ministry troops went into the village to investigate they came under fire from rebels.

53.   Unlike the ministry of defence, interior ministry troops, stationed mostly to the north of the city, are reported fully in favour of the intervention.

54.   When Russian and Chechen interior ministry troops went into the village to investigate they came under fire from rebels.

55.   Kaas arrived for the concert in a white Lincoln limousine, guarded by special interior ministry troops, and sang on a huge open-air stage.

56.   Meanwhile, Russian troops are to start withdrawing, eventually leaving one brigade of interior ministry troops and one mechanised brigade of army troops in Chechnya.

57.   Meanwhile, Russian forces are to start withdrawing, eventually leaving behind one brigade of interior ministry troops and one mechanised army brigade.

58.   Meanwhile, the Russian forces are to begin withdrawing, eventually leaving only one brigade of interior ministry troops and one motorised brigade of federal army troops in Chechnya.

59.   Meanwhile, a senior Russian security official denied Russian media reports that the rebels had executed six interior ministry troops they were holding captive.

60.   On Thursday the alliance ordered gunmen off the streets, apart from police and defence ministry troops, in advance of the inauguration.