FSB confirms Gelayev's death

Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has officially confirmed that Chechen rebel commander Ruslan Gelayev was killed in the mountains of Dagestan.

"Gelayev has been identified by detained rebels and by people who knew Gelayev and details connected with him, including the wound on his leg, his personal things and the dagger which he always carried with him," a FSB spokesman reported on March 2.

He said Gelayev was killed on February 28 as a result of a special operation launched in December 2003.