Security forces fired in the air and beat stone-throwing protestors Saturday to disperse a banned anti-government rally in Russia's largely Muslim province of Ingushetia.
Automatic rifle fire erupted as police and paramilitary forces chased protestors through the centre of Ingushetia's biggest town, Nazran, near Chechnya in the Caucasus mountains of southern Russia.
There were no immediate reports of serious casualties, indicating that the shooting was in the air. The approximately three hours of violence broke out after about 500 demonstrators ignored warnings and a heavy security presence to rally on Nazran's central square against corruption and human rights abuses.