71.   However, there are numerous armed groups that have kidnapped civilians and Russian security personnel from neighboring regions in order to demand ransoms.

72.   In a separate development Friday, Chechen officials freed four Russian soldiers abducted from their garrisons in neighboring regions several months ago.

73.   Indian soldiers suffered setbacks in the neighboring Kaksar region, to the southeast, where fighting has raged for days over a barren mountain.

74.   It is plagued by violence and other crime, which often spill into neighboring regions.

75.   It was flying along the border between Chechnya and the neighboring region of Ingushetia in search of criminal gangs when it came under fire.

76.   Kirienko noted that his ministry has finished feasibility studies on alternate pipeline routes and settled on a bypass around Chechnya through the neighboring region of Dagestan.

77.   Kurskaya governor Sergei Logvinov told ITAR-Tass that his administration plans to sign an agreement on cooperation in fighting crime with neighboring regions of Chechnya.

78.   Leaders from seven other Caucasus republics, three neighboring ethnic Russian regions, Cossacks and clerics attended.

79.   Kurds also inhabit neighboring regions of Iraq, Iran and several other countries.

80.   Last year, Chechnya-based Islamic militants tried to expand their zone of control and invaded the neighboring region of Dagestan.