Militants kill two officers in Chechen clash

Law enforcement authorities are searching for a group of armed militants in Chechnya after a shoot-out left two dead and one injured. The clash occurred in the Urus-Martan district of Russia’s North Caucasian republic.

The fighting apparently began after the authorities ran into a gang of approximately thirty militants during a search operation.

A traffic police officer and a serviceman were killed in the clash, and another policeman was wounded.

After the incident the militants escaped into a forest pursued by police. Two helicopters are reportedly taking part in the search.

Chechen officials say that blood traces were found at the scene of the shootout, ‘suggesting a number of the militants may have been wounded as well.’