Chechen rock festival canceled because of security concerns

A large rock festival in Chechnya was postponed Monday, the day before it was to take place, because of security concerns, news reports said.

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The reports cited Chechen Prime Minister Sergei Abramov as saying the event was put off until September after he received a letter from the heads of several security agencies saying that they could not guarantee safety at the festival due to growing complications on the republic's borders, reports the AP.

Militant activity apparently connected with Chechen rebels is frequently reported in both neighboring Dagestan and Ingushetia; on Friday, 11 Russian servicemen were killed in terrorist act in Makhachkala, Dagestan.

Two Chechen suicide bombers struck a Moscow rock festival in 2003, killing 13 spectators.

The Chechen festival, featuring several well-known Russian bands was to have been held Tuesday in a stadium in Gudermes, Chechnya's second-largest city. The festival was titled "Phoenix: the Revival of Life."

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