Chechen parliament attackers killed

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.