"The law enforcement agencies obtain information that because of the federal forces' operations in Chechnya," the regional operations headquarters in the North Caucasus said, "some members of illegal armed formations headed by Aslan Maskhadov and Shamil Basayev are hiding from law enforcement agencies in Ingushetia."
According to the spokesman, from October 1 to 8, federal forces found ten militant hideouts during searches of the woods in the Sunzha and Nazran districts of Ingushetia.
"At these locations, pits were dug and covered with logs," he said. "Weapons and ammunition, as well as a large stock of foodstuffs and medicine were found in them."
He added that local residents in the Sunzha and Nazran districts of Ingushetia reported seeing small groups of militants moving on the hills and in the forests.
"According to available information, this concerns militants led by Doku Umarov who is planning to exit Russia," he said. "The commanders of the bandit formations have given their subordinates the task of equipping new locations to hide out during the winter."
The Chechen Interior Ministry told RIA Novosti that the law enforcement officers detained three militants, including a personal bodyguard of well-known bandit leader Doku Umarov, in Grozny.
"The militants were detained at about 3 p.m. Moscow time on Monday at Zagrazhsky settlement in the Staropromyslovsky district of Grozny," the ministry said. "The bandits resisted arrest and as a result a member of the information and documentation group of the Special Police Detachment was wounded."
According to the ministry, Tourpal Gatayev, the detained bodyguard, is a resident of Roshni-Chu in the Urus-Martan district, while the other two militants, Bilal Khatsiyev nicknamed Volny and Timur Mazayev, are residents of Grozny.
Two GP-25 grenade launchers, two Kalashnikov submachine guns, a Makarov pistol, six rounds for a grenade launcher, a hand grenade, and more than 570 cartridges of different caliber were confiscated.
An investigation is under way.
