Russian forces clash with rebels in Chechnya - Tass

MOSCOW, July 23 (Reuters) Russian forces today clashed with a group of Chechen rebels holed up in the region's southern mountains, with casualties on both sides, Itar-Tass news agency reported.

Tass said a group of rebels answering directly to Chechen separatist leader Doku Umarov were battling Russian troops in the mountains of the Vedensky district in southern Chechnya.

It was unclear if Umarov was among those fighting.

''Some bandits have been eliminated and some are wounded,'' an unidentified law enforcement source told Tass.

''There are losses among the military servicemen who are carrying out the operation. One serviceman is dead and two are wounded according to preliminary information,'' the source said.

Chechen rebels and Russia's military have fought two wars since 1994.

President Vladimir Putin, who on coming to office in 2000 vowed to crush the rebels, has made Russian forces work with local allies to kill several separatist leaders and driven many of the insurgents into the mountains.

Separatists, who say they are fighting a religious war against the Russian empire, insist they can still inflict heavy losses on forces loyal to the Kremlin.

Reuters SY GC2155