31.   The rebels had been battling Russian troops since December in the breakaway republic.

32.   The U.S.-backed Contra rebels battled the Sandinista government throughout most of the subsequent decade.

33.   Three peace activists were killed Tuesday in Uraba, a violence-torn region in northwest Colombia, where rebels battle the army and landowner-backed paramilitary gunmen.

34.   Tutsi rebels were battling for control of the airport, the link to aid for hundreds of thousands of refugees.

35.   But secessionist rebels were still battling the Russian forces in southeastern Grozny on Wednesday, keeping a large part of the city impossible to live in.

36.   Chechen rebels had battled Russian forces bombarding the town and the two neighbouring villages of Alleroy and Tsentoroy for most of the day.

37.   Unconfirmed reports said Zairean rebels had battled Rwandan Hutu extremist militiamen in the Kasese region.

38.   Zairean rebels battled with government forces Thursday in their bid to push on towards the capital with both sides suffering heavy casualties, several sources said.