Russia mourns car bomb victims

MINERALNYE VODY, Russia -- A day of mourning has been declared in southern Russia where three car bombs killed 23 people and injured more than 100 others on Saturday.

At least four people have been arrested in connection with the attacks which officials are blaming on Chechen rebels, though no one has admitted responsibility.

Security has been stepped up across the region and President Vladimir Putin has promised to take the "toughest measures" against the bombers.

The funerals of the first six victims were being held on Monday in the spa resort town of Mineralnye Vody, in the Stavropol region.

VIDEO CNN's Jill Dougherty goes to the Mineralny Vody, where the town is preparing to bury its dead Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) CNN's Jill Dougherty reports on the blasts that hit Russia Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)     MESSAGE BOARD Changes in Russia

A municipal government spokeswoman said the six were among 19 killed when a booby-trapped car exploded at the entrance to a busy morning market.

Two more people later died of injuries sustained in the blast, Russia's Emergencies Ministry announced on Monday. Another 20 people are described as seriously ill in hospital.

A second bomb in the region went off near a police station in the town of Yessentuki, killing no one but injuring a dozen people.

Two bomb disposal experts died in the third blast, in neighbouring Karachayevo-Cherkessia, as they tried to defuse a car bomb.

In each case, small Zhiguli cars were packed with explosives, police said.

The government spokeswoman said funerals at Mineralnye Vody would be held at different cemeteries and would be low-key affairs as the town was still struggling to overcome the shock.

She said a day of mourning had been declared by the governor of the Stavropol region.

Police and security services have launched a massive operation to identify and arrest the perpetrators.

Security has been stepped up across the region and in major cities throughout Russia. In territories near Chechnya armed police are on the streets in force and traffic police are stopping and checking all vehicles.

Officials say they have arrested at least one strong suspect, apparently the driver of the car which killed the two bomb experts, and prosecutors in Chechnya said three other people had been detained in connection with the blasts.

Prosecutor General Vladimir Ustinov has said investigators believe a prominent rebel commander, Jordanian-born Khattab, had ordered the bombings.

But rebel Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov said: "We are not fighting with civilians. We conduct a guerrilla war with the occupiers.

"We have nothing to do with the criminal structures of Russia and do not fight with women, old men, children and civilians."

Reuters contributed to this report.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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