Russia said today its forces killed an Arab-born Chechen guerrilla leader who Moscow claims has close ties to Osama bin Laden.
"International terrorist Khattab, an ideologist and organiser of terrorist activity, has been eliminated as a result of a special operation by the Federal Security Service in the Chechen republic," an FSB spokesman said.
The death of Khattab, one of the country's most wanted men, would be a major coup for Moscow and its campaign to stamp out an armed insurgency on its turbulent southern rim.
Russia sent troops into Chechnya in October 2000 to restore Moscow's rule. The army regained control of most of the territory within months but has failed to kill or capture any of the rebel leaders waging a guerrilla war against Moscow.
Russia, which threw its weight behind the US-led "war on terror", has also said Jordanian-born Khattab was a faithful lieutenant of bin Laden.