MOSCOW. Aug 7: Separatist rebels effectively held the Chefhen capital Grozny today. 24 hours after a lighting often sive against Russian troops. Interfax News Agency said, re ports Reuter

An Interfax correspondent reported from the city that Russian forces were blocked at their own checkpoints and in the centre of tne city. The correspondent reported that the city is effectively controlled by the rebels.' the agency said

Rebel field commander Russian Gelayev was based lust 500 metres (yards) away from the central building of the proMoscow Chechen government. Interfax said. “He pas ordered his fighters to seize the build Ing. ft said.

Russian helicopters gun ships were making strikes in the centre of the city while heavy artillery shelled Grozny

suburbs the agency said

The separatists infiltrated the city on Tuesday and have been battling Russian forces based there.

Helicopters, firing rockets, targeted the central Minutka Square, site of bitter fighting in 1995 when Russian forces captured Grozny, and the rail way station. The rebels seized partial control of the station on Tuesday Earlier Chechen rebel attack Tuesday on Russian forces In Grozny and another city left 29 dead and around 100 wounded on tne Russian side officials said Tuesday, reports AFP

According to a toll given at 6:00 pm (1400 GMT) by the Interior Ministry of the pro Russian Chechen government the fighting in Grozny cost the Jives of 13 Chechen police and left another 45 injured.

A further 14 Russian sol diers died In the assault and

50 were wounded, the Russian military commander In the < aucaus region. General Anatoli Kvashin said Both sources were reported by the agency Interfax

Two other Russian soldiers were reported killed tn fighting at Argun 15 kilometres (10 miles) east of the capital, where the rebels launched a dawn attack

No official figures w-re given lor losses on the separatist side or among civilians. .

However by late morning 17 wounded civilians were seen in one of Grozny s hospital in-< hiding five children many of them having beta hit by exploding shells or rockets near their homes.

AP from Grozny. Chechen rebels attacked key govern- , men! posts tri the city centre Wednesday for a second day as Russian forces admitted suffering dozens of casualties.