Rostov-On-Don, Feb 20, SPA -- Security forces stormed anapartment building in southern Russia Sunday, killing threesuspected Muslim extremists who had barricaded themselvesinside, law enforcement officials said. A heavy firefight broke out early Sunday morning, said anofficer in the Interior Ministry department in Nalchik, thecapital of Kabardino-Balkariya, where the day-old standoffcame to an end. Security forces used grenade launchers tolob canisters of tear gas into the building beforeentering, he said. The forces broke down the metal door to the second-floorapartment but retreated due to a high concentration of gasas well as smoke from a fire that had broken out. Officers finally entered the apartment after the blaze wasextinguished, finding three bodies. No information wasimmediately released as to the identities or nationalitiesof the three.--SPA1252 Local Time 0952 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/240824