Russian federal forces continued their assaults on Chechen rebels Friday with senior military officials predicting faster progress ahead in the breakaway republic.

After the seizure of the strategically important populated area Itum-Kale in southern Chechnya, it is only the administrative center Shatoi and four populated areas in the flat part of the republic that are yet to be taken, Chief of Russian General Staff Anatoly Kvashnin told the press Friday.

"And that is all. The remaining task is for special teams that will comb the mountains, gorges, and caves to eliminate the last shelters of the fighters," Kvashnin said in an interview with the NTV television station.

"This task is difficult and long-winded, but necessary," he said.

Also Friday, Russian Defense Minister Igor Sergeyev predicted that the operation to eliminate bandit formations in mountainous areas of Chechnya "will be completed quicker than in Grozny," the regional capital.

About 7,000 to 8,000 rebels are resisting Russian federal forces in the mountainous areas and some 300 fighters remain in Grozny, the Interfax news agency quoted Sergeyev as saying.

However, he told a closed hearing of the State Duma lower house of parliament that it is too early to talk about the conclusion of the military phase of the operation, Interfax said.