¡¡MOSCOW, July 19 (Xinhuanet) -- At least 15 people were killed and over 24 wounded as a result of a vehicle explosion conducted by terrorists in the Nadterechny Region of Chechnya, Russia, on Tuesday, according to the latest report of ITAR-TASS news agency.

    Among the killed people are nine policemen, including the local police chief, and a child who was bicycling down the street, when the blast went off. The injured are being taken to hospitals in Grozny and neighboring republics, the report said.

    An explosion of a police jeep in the village of Znamenskaya, inthe Nadterechny Region of Chechnya, occurred at about 13:30 local time (0930GMT) on Tuesday, following a shootout between unidentified gunmen and policemen.

    The gunmen at first opened fire at the car and killed a policeman, then an explosive device went off when the local police arrived on the site of the incident, the Interfax news agency said.

    Earlier reports said at least 10 people were killed and five others wounded in the vehicle explosion.

    The explosive device has yet been located by now, while the police are searching for the perpetrators of the terrorist attack,the Interfax said.

    The Chechen Healthcare Ministry's Emergency Medical Center has sent five ambulances to the scene, a ministry official was quoted as saying by Interfax.

    Meanwhile, Chechen law enforcement agencies and federal troops are hunting down those involved in Tuesday's terrorist attack in the Znamenskaya village, Chechnya's First Deputy Prime Minister Ramzan Kadyrov said.

    According to the official, investigators, law enforcement and security officials are working at the scene. "I have absolutely no doubts that we will find these people and bring them to justice," Kadyrov said.  Enditem