A Russian government building in Chechnya was attacked Thursday morning, injuring two female workers, Russian news agencies reported.  

The Itar-Tass said unidentified attackers fired grenade-launchers on the State Council building in the republic's capital of Grozny.     

"Two grenades hit the wall between the second and third floors. The panes were broken in several windows," the Interfax quoted Khizir Deniev, a State Council member, as saying.

Deniev, who was in his office in the building when the attack occurred, said nobody had been killed but two female workers had suffered cuts from the broken glass.

Russian servicemen were searching for the attackers.

Russian troops have intensified military operations in the breakaway region since the assassination of Chechen President Akhmad Kadyrov on May 9 while rebels have also increased retaliatory activities against Russian troops.

Ilya Shabalkin, a Russian military spokesman, told Interfax on Thursday that eight rebels had been killed in Chechnya on Wednesday.

According to Shabalkin, 11 other rebels have been detained over the past 24 hours.

(Xinhua News Agency May 28, 2004)