Moscow: Seventeen Russian Air Force personnel were killed and 12 injured when a female suicide bomber walked up to their bus and detonated explosives strapped to her body near Chechnya in South Russia on June 5.

According to Radio Mayak, the bomber clad in white coat - - the uniform for medical personnel -- approached the bus when it slowed down at a railway crossing in Mozdok and exploded herself.

"We have been unable to identify the suicide bomber so far -- there was little left of her," Russia's deputy prosecutor general Sergei Fridinsky was quoted as saying.

All the passengers of the ill-fated bus were military and civilian employees of the local Air Force station, spokesman of the North Osetian administration said.

"Bordering on Chechnya, North Osetia's Mozdok is Russia's main air base in the Caucasus, which was widely used for attacks on Chechen terrorist bases in remote mountains," the North Osetian official speaking on the conditions of anonymity did not rule out more such attacks by the terrorists.

North Osetia is the only Christian Republic in Russia's Muslim-dominated Caucasus and has always been loyal to Moscow. In May, police had intercepted and destroyed two explosive-laden trucks when they were trying to seek in North Osetia from neighbouring Ingushetia.

President Vladimir Putin has been informed of the incident and Defence ministry is rushing investigation team to Mozdok.

PTI