Akhmed-hadji Kadyrov escaped uninjured on the evening of 1 March when gunmen opened fire on his motorcade in the town of Argun, Russian news agencies reported only after a two-day delay. Three Chechen police officers and four of Kadyrov\'s bodyguards were reported killed in the attack, together with several of the attackers. Chechen Prosecutor-General Vladimir Kravchenko initially told Interfax that Kadyrov was not traveling in the motorcade, but Kadyrov later confirmed that he asked his driver to halt when the motorcade ran into what he termed an exchange of fire. The \"Guardian\" on 4 March quoted unnamed Chechen officials as saying that radical field commander Shamil Basaev was behind the assault. If the gunmen\'s intention was indeed to kill Kadyrov, it would be at least the sixth attempt to assassinate him since he was named as Chechen administration head in June 2000. (RFE/RL)