An anti-terrorist operation in Chechnya launched in 1999 ended early Thursday, Russian news agencies reported, citing government sources.

"The order proclaiming the republic a zone of counter-terrorism operations was canceled at 00:00 Moscow time (2000 GMT) on April 16," the RIA Novosti news agency reported, citing a statement from the National Anti-Terrorist Committee.

On instructions from Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, Alexander Bortnikov, chairman of the committee and director of the Russian Federal Security Service, has cancelled the order, the Itar-Tass news agency reported.

Since Thursday, "anti-terrorist activities in this region of the Russian Federation will be conducted in accordance with the general regulations effective in the other regions of the country," said the statement.

The decision aims to further normalize the situation in Chechnya, and to restore and develop its socioeconomic life, said the statement.

The president of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, welcomed the statement.

"We are extremely satisfied with the end of the counter-terrorist operation," the Interfax news agency quoted Kadyrov as saying.

"The most important thing is that the regime has ended with the fulfillment of anti-terrorist goals set 10 years ago," he said. "The modern Chechen Republic is a peaceful and budding territory. The end of the counter-terrorist operation will spur on economic growth in the republic."

Medvedev on March 27 told the security service to consider ending the anti-terrorism operation in Chechnya.

"Due to the normalization of the situation in Chechnya... I believe there is a need to consider the issue of the counter-terrorist operation in Chechnya at a session of the National Anti-Terrorist Committee and make the necessary decisions," Medvedev told Bortnikov.

The head of state also suggested law enforcement agencies keep the situation under control and take necessary steps in Chechnya and neighboring republics, where the threat of terrorist attacks still exists.

Russia launched the anti-terrorism operation in the restive Caucasus region of Chechnya in 1999.

(Xinhua News Agency April 16, 2009)