Russian special forces report that they have killed the most wanted man in Chechnya, warlord Shamil Basayev.
Nikilai Patrushev, the head of Russia's FSB, announced that Russian special forces had killed Basayev while he was planning an attack to coincide with the G8 summit which Russia is hosting this weekend.
Basayev has claimed responsibility for the taking of hostages at a school in Beslan in 2004. 331 people were killed in that incident, half of them children.
Russian authorities say that Basayev was killed in the province of Ingushetia which borders Chechnya. Chechnya has a majority of Muslims and has been fighting for its independence from Russia for many years.
On Russian television, President Vladimir Putin described Basayev's death as 'deserved retribution' for his role in the school hostage taking at Beslan and other terrorist attacks he was involved in.
The FSB had announced a $10 million reward for information leading to the 'neutralization' of Basayev.
The United States added Basayev to its list of wanted terrorists last year as they considered him a threat to the U.S. The United Nations Security Council also added him to its official terrorist list last year.
Chechen rebels have yet to make an official announcement regarding Basayev's death.
