MOSCOW - Russia on Thursday ordered an end to its counterterrorism operation in Chechnya, a move that could lead to the withdrawal of tens of thousands of troops from the southern republic battered by two separatist wars in the past 15 years.

The counterterrorism operation led to curfews, limitations on access for journalists and limitations on civilian airline flights, among other measures.

Its cancellation was ordered by President Dmitry Medvedev and took effect Thursday morning, according to the National Anti-Terrorist Committee, which did not provide further details.

Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov is a former rebel who has close ties with the Kremlin. He often comes under criticism from human rights groups for running the region with brutality and harsh repression of dissenting views. His corps of security agents is widely alleged to have kidnapped and killed opponents and suspected rebels.

"Today, the Chechen Republic is, as recognized by thousands of guests including politicians, businessmen, journalists and cultural figures, a peaceful and redeveloping region," Kadyrov was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency. "Ending the anti-terrorist operation will only help the republic's economic growth."

Interior Ministry spokesman Col. Vasily Panchenkov said last month that ending the regime could lead to the withdrawal of about 20,000 ministry troops from Chechnya. Panchenkov said at least one Interior Ministry brigade and a division of military troops would remain in the republic.

The total number of troops currently in Chechnya could not immediately be determined.

Sporadic clashes between militants and troops persist in Chechnya, but major fighting died down several years ago. Russia has poured millions of dollars into restoring the Chechen capital Grozny, which artillery assaults and aerial bombing had turned into a near-wasteland.

The anti-terrorist committee statement said ending the operation was aimed at "guaranteeing terms for the further normalization of the situation in the republic, the restoration and development of its social-economic spheres."

The first Chechen war began in 1994 as separatists led by the late Chechen President Dzokhar Dudayev pressed to split off from Russia. The rebels fought Russian forces to a standstill and the Russian troops withdrew from Chechnya in 1996 under an agreement that left Chechnya de-facto independent.

One of Kadyrov's most vehement enemies, Sulim Yamadayev, was shot to death in an attack in Dubai last month, Dubai police said Kadyrov's right-hand man, Adam Delimkhanov, was suspected of ordering the killing.

Yamadayev's brother Ruslan was killed in Moscow last year and reports said Delimkhanov was also suspected in that attack. The deaths of the Yamadayev brothers eliminated two of Kadyrov's most powerful opponents.

After the withdrawal, Chechnya was plagued by lawlessness and Islamic fundamentalists became increasingly influential. Chechen fighters invaded neighboring Dagestan in the summer of 1999, aiming to form an Islamic caliphate in a sector of that republic. Russian troops swept back into Chechnya about a month later.

Although fighting in Chechnya is now limited to occasional small clashes, violence believed to be a spin-off of the Chechen separatist movement is strong in Dagestan and in Ingushetia, which borders Chechnya to the west.

Reducing the troop presence in Chechnya could allow them to be redeployed in those increasingly troubled republics.

A service of the Associated Press(AP)