A spokesman for the regional security council said three villages, Tando, Rakhata and Ashino, had already been occupied by Russian forces by 10 am Tuesday morning.

He said only two villages, Ansalta and Shodroda, remained to be taken, but Russia was still not yet certain that the rebels had pulled out as they claimed.

``There is an order circulating on the internet from (rebel leader Shamil) Basayev saying they have withdrawn, but it is still not confirmed.''

The rebels, led by Chechen warlords, said on Monday that they were pulling out of their positions in Dagestan, apparently bringing to an end Russia's worst security crisis since the 1994-96 Chechen war.

They had seized villages in the province on August 7 and had held out against Russian air and artillery strikes.

A defence ministry spokesman in theDagestani regional capital Makhachkala confirmed that Tando had been cleared, but said Russian forces were still bombing rebel positions near other villages.

The rebels' announcement of a withdrawal could mark an important victory for Russia's new Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who said exactly two weeks ago that he would crush the revolt within two weeks.

He came to office three days into the rebellion, which his predecessor had said could split Dagestan off from Russia if it were mishandled.

The revolt brought a steady stream of shocking images of war to Russian television for the first time since the Chechen conflict. It raised painful questions about the federal government's ability to maintain peace and stability in the eight republics of the troubled North Caucasus.