Chechen parliament attackers killed

Militants who seized the parliament building in Russia's Caucasus region of Chechnya have been killed.

Chechen special forces stand outside the parliament building in Grozny on October 19, 2010. Militants stormed parliament in Russia's conflict-torn Chechnya today, seizing deputies and gunning down guards, before being killed in a bloody standoff with security forces. The group of up to four militants broke into the parliament building in the Chechen capital Grozny early in the morning, sparking fears of a major hostage crisis before security forces moved in to take the deputies to safety. AFP PHOTO / VISKHAN MAGOMADOV

Militants stormed the parliament building in Grozny and gunned down guards, before being killed.

Oct 19, 2010

Security forces have killed four insurgents who attacked parliament in Russia's Chechnya region today, ending the assault, Kremlin-backed Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov and law enforcement agencies said.

All the politicians who were in the Chechen parliament when it was attacked are alive and have been taken to safety, Chechnya's leader Ramzan Kadyrov told Interfax.

Three security guards and one civilian were killed after militants stormed the parliament building earlier today.

Mr Kadyroy said the Chechen security forces staged an intense 20-minute operation to kill the militants and free the politicians and employees from the building.

Russian news agency reports said that two militants blew themselves up in suicide attacks and another was killed in an exchange of fire.