BOTLIKH, Russia (AP) -- Russian troops battled Islamic militants Wednesday in mountain fighting that cost Russia its worst single-day losses of the 12-day conflict.
Eight Russian troops were killed and 20 wounded in the fighting in Dagestan, a Russian Republic in the Caucasus Mountain region where militants want to set up an independent Islamic state.Dagestani officials announced the Russian casualties. No figures on rebel losses were available.
The troops were battling rebels for a second day in and around the southern village of Tando. It was not clear who had control of the area. Russia has been bombing Tando's outskirts for several days.
Also Wednesday, the Russian military said it has seized control of a key mountain pass that the militants had been using to ferry in fighters and supplies from neighboring Chechnya.
The militants invaded Aug. 7 from Chechnya. The conflict in Dagestan is the worst inside Russia since the Chechnya war ended.