31.   A day earlier, an army major in Jaffna was shot dead by a rebel sniper.

32.   Budanov said he killed her in a fit of rage, alleging that she was a Chechen rebel sniper he had arrested for interrogation.

33.   Rebel snipers took up positions on rooftops to protect assailants escaping from the town and taking hostages with them, Interfax said.

34.   Rebel snipers have taken up positions on rooftops to protect assailants escaping from the town and taking hostages with them, Interfax said.