Russian troops sealed off the Chechen capital Grozny and restricted travel across the republic Sunday to prevent incidents ahead of the fifth anniversary of a crucial rebel success in the first Chechen war of 1994-96.
But the clampdown in the capital had the city's pro-Moscow administration fuming.
Roadblocks barred all traffic from the city, with exceptions made only for police and administrative vehicles, the Interfax news agency said, quoting local officials.
Elsewhere in the breakaway republic vehicles were being sent back at checkpoints between neighboring villages, the officials said.
However city hall spokesman Ruslan Martagov said that the Russian authorities' action, "without a persuasive explation for what is happening, does invaluable service to (rebel) militants by boosting their status in laymen's eyes." -- MOSCOW (AFP)
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