DHAKA: Rebel gunmen have shot their way into the heavily fortified Chechen capital, Grozny, in a night-time attack which left as many as 16 people dead.

Arriving at 01:00 (22:00 GMT Wednesday) in cars, they fired on a traffic police checkpoint before attacking a media building and a school.

An Islamist group said it had launched a suicide attack to avenge attacks by security forces on Muslim women.

Chechnya’s Moscow-backed president said the situation was under control.

Ramzan Kadyrov said none of the attackers had escaped.

The controversial Chechen strongman has suppressed rebel activity in Chechnya since Russia ousted the separatist government there at the beginning of the century, reports the BBC.

BDST: 2057 HRS, DEC 04, 2014