Chechen rebel chief killed: Russia

MOSCOW, Russia -- A key rebel leader in Chechnya has been killed during a clash with Russian troops, news agencies have reported.

Abu Yakub, who is alleged to have been the head of intelligence for prominent rebel warlord Khattab, died as Russian soldiers fought with a rebel group in the village of Starye Atagi, according to Russian military commanders.

Moscow claims Jordanian-born Khattab is a close associate of militant leader Osama bin Laden.

Two other rebels died and one was wounded in the village south of the Chechen capital, Grozny, the Interfax and ITAR-Tass news agencies quoted Russian military officials as saying.

MORE STORIES Q&A: Putin and terrorism

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called on rebel leaders in Chechnya to cut links with bin Laden, the suspected mastermind of the terror attacks on the United States on September 11.

U.S. President George W. Bush has backed Putin's claim that some rebels in Chechnya are linked with bin Laden's Al Qaeda terrorist organisation.

Putin, who had previously dismissed Western calls for negotiations during the two-year war in Chechnya, last Monday offered to open talks with rebel leaders on their disarmament, in a move welcomed by U.S. officials.

Chechnya's rebel leader Aslan Maskhadov hailed the offer and appointed an envoy for talks, according to news agencies.

But despite the move, fighting has continued throughout the rebel region, with Russian troops on Monday claiming to have killed 19 rebels during the previous 24-hour period.

Despite Moscow's claim that federal troops control most of Chechnya, they suffer daily losses in rebels' raids and ambushes, and civilians also continue to die.

Unidentified gunmen killed six residents and burned a house in the village of Avtury over the weekend, according to Interfax.