Moscow: Eight rebels including some Arab mercenaries were killed in a clash between Federal Army and Chechen ultras in the remote mountains of South Eastern Chechnya on July 31.

The authorities are conducting identification procedures to find links of the killed Arabs with international terror organisations including al-Qaida, Interfax quoted Chechnya's Deputy Military Commandant Ruslan Yamadayev as saying.

He said two servicemen from a military unit raised in Chechnya were also killed.

Earlier, Moscow announced the gradual wrapping up of the counter-terror operations in Chechnya by September 1 when ahead of the October 5 Presidential polls in the Republic, Interior Ministry would assume the full responsibility for law and order.

PTI