Islamic militant suspects 'shot dead'

Security forces today stormed an apartment building in southern Russia where a small group of suspected Islamic militants had barricaded themselves, probably killing all the rebels, police said.

A heavy firefight broke out early today, said an officer in the Interior Ministry department in Nalchik, the capital of Kabardino-Balkariya, where the day-old stand-off came to an end. Security forces used grenade launchers to lob canisters of tear gas into the building before entering, he said.