Russian ministry: 3 killed in explosion staged by rebels in Chechnya

Rostov-on-Don: The Russian Interior Ministry's branch in Chechnya says two police officers and a civilian has been killed by an explosive device planted by rebels.

It says in a statement that the explosion occurred Wednesday near the village of Belgatoi in the Vedeno region in southern Chechnya's mountains. Investigators believe the explosive device was attached to a vehicle the victims were riding in.

The Kremlin last month formally ended a federal counterterrorism operation in Chechnya which has seen two bloody separatist wars in the past 15 years. But insurgents continue to stage sporadic attacks on troops and authorities in Chechnya despite increased stability under Kremlin-backed regional President Ramzan Kadyrov.