The head of the Russian-backed administration in Chechnya, Akhmad Kadyrov, says too many people are disappearing in Moscow's operations against suspected rebels in the republic.

I can't look my fellow villagers in the eye

Akhmad Kadyrov

In the wake of last month's hostage-taking by Chechen militants at a theatre in Moscow, Russian forces have stepped up search operations.

Chechen villages have regularly been sealed off while troops seize people accused of being rebels and collaborators.

Human rights groups have long denounced such operations - but Moscow denies accusations of abuse.

"Nine people have been taken away from my native village of Tsentoroi this week and it's impossible to find out where they are now," Mr Kadyrov told Interfax news agency.

"I can't look my fellow villagers in the eye," he added.

At least 220 people have been detained by Russian forces over the past 24 hours, an official in the Kremlin-backed Chechen administration said on Friday.

'Generating extremism'

A human rights umbrella group, the International Helsinki Federation (IHF), described Russia's military campaign in Chechnya as currently the most serious human rights violation in Europe.

"The military campaign is driving people into the hands of extremists, it is generating terrorism," Aaron Rhodes, the organisation's executive director said on Friday.

Kadyrov has been critical of the campaign

He was speaking at a two-day IHF meeting at The Hague in the Netherlands.

One Moscow-based human rights group taking part in the meeting said between 10,000 and 20,000 Chechen civilians had been killed by Russian forces since 1999.

The Russian Government says it is fighting terrorism and denies its troops have been involved in systematic abuses.

It insists excesses are investigated and punished.

Moscow also says life is returning to normal in Chechnya despite fresh clashes between its troops and rebels.

Last month Chechen rebels took about 800 people hostage in a Moscow theatre.

Nearly 130 people were killed when Russian special forces stormed the venue.