 Estimates of the insurgent forces' strength has been estimated of being 1,500-3,000 men.While mostly experienced veterans of the Chechen and other wars, they were lightly equipped.They possessed ample supplies of small arms, support weapons, several 9M111 Fagot ATGMs, mortars and ample ammunition but they appeared to have only two BTR-60s possibly captured from government forces in the first days of the attack, a single T-12 antitank gun and a few truck-mounted ZU-23 anti-aircraft guns to use as fire support.