Bombings kill 1, injure 14 in Chechnya

Two explosions in Chechnya's capital Grozny have left at least one policeman dead and 14 others wounded, as lethal attacks on security officials intensify in the restive region.

The remote-controlled bombs were detonated late on Friday, nearly ten minutes apart, police officials said.

"First one explosive device detonated and when people gathered around, another followed," Colonel Apti Aluvdinov told AFP early on Saturday.

The incident left at least one policeman dead and 14 others -- including three civilians -- injured. Two of the wounded are said to be in serious condition.

Insurgents in Chechnya have recently stepped up their anti-federal campaigns and spread violence into the neighboring provinces, in what is seen as a significant spillover of conflict in Russian territories.

The surge follows Moscow's recent decision to officially end a decade-long 'counter-terror' operation in Chechnya, where separatists fought two full-scale wars with the central government in Russia, during the 1990s.