MOSCOW - Russian troops lifted their blockade of Chechnya's third- largest city on Thursday, following a roundup of suspected rebels that prompted clashes and protests by residents of abuses by servicemen, news reports said.

Only a few women and children had been allowed in or out of Argun since Sunday as Russian forces swept the town for militants believed to have taken refuge there.

Russian officials said Wednesday the operation had been completed, but the cordon was lifted only Thursday, the ITAR-Tass news agency reported. Pro-Moscow Chechen officials and other residents who had been barred from entering were allowed back.

The chief of Russia's General Staff, Gen. Anatoly Kvashnin, insisted Thursday that federal forces would continue to root out rebels in similar sweep operations. The operations have prompted criticism from human rights groups and residents who cite looting, torture and other abuses by Russian forces.

Kvashnin, in remarks reported by Russian news agencies and television, also said Russian officials will make no more efforts to negotiate with Chechen rebel leaders and are instead focusing on urging rank-and-file militants to surrender.

"There will be no more mistakes," he said. "Our stance is tough: No more indulgence toward bandits."

In the first move toward peace talks since Moscow sent troops into Chechnya in 1999, an envoy from President Vladimir Putin met with a senior envoy of Chechen leader Aslan Maskhadov in November. But the Russian envoy, Viktor Kazantsev, said they produced no breakthrough and Putin's willingness for negotiations appears to have since fizzled.

Kvashnin also said Russia had completed a planned withdrawal of "excessive" forces from Chechnya, without giving figures. Russian officials had promised the pullout last year, saying the republic is largely under control.

"Targeted special operations are now mainly carried out by the forces under the jurisdiction of the Interior Ministry, the FSB (Federal Security Service) and the military commandants' offices," he said.

Still, Russian military aviation remains active in Chechnya's southern mountains, and helicopters targeted rebel groups in the Vedeno gorge on Thursday, the Interfax news agency reported. Also Thursday, a Russian military convoy was ambushed in the capital Grozny, prompting a shootout, Interfax reported.

The Associated Press