8 Civilians Found Slain in Chechnya

Eight civilians have been found killed in Chechnya’s capital, Russian news agencies reported Friday.

Regional anti-terrorist forces were quoted as saying six Russians and two Chechens had been found close together in Grozny with gunshot and knife wounds. An unspecified number of Chechens had been held in connection with the killings.

Officials said they regard attacks on civilians as an attempt by separatist rebels to undermine Russian efforts to restore order and stability in the breakaway republic, which has been devastated by two wars since 1994.

Security forces have reported several killings of Russian civilians in recent weeks, after rights groups intensified pressure on Moscow to investigate allegations of rights abuses by its troops.

Russia has said it will strive to uncover any crimes.

Moscow was infuriated this week by U.S. officials’ plans to meet Ilyas Akhmadov, foreign minister of the separatist Chechen leadership.

A European Union group will visit Chechnya next week to discuss how to help tens of thousands of people displaced by years of fighting, Interfax news agency reported.