Grozny, Aug 21 (IANS): A series of coordinated attacks in Chechnya were carried out by children as young as 11, officials said on Tuesday, blaming a campaign of online recruiting by extremist groups.

The Islamic State (IS) terror group claimed responsibility for three separate attacks in the Russian republic on Monday, reports the Guardian.

The attacks, which included an attempted suicide bombing, a car ramming and a raid on a police station, left several police officers in the town of Shali hospitalised with knife wounds.

Four of the five attackers were killed, the police said.

Chechnya leader Ramzan Kadyrov said the youths had been "confused" by IS recruiters using social media.

"The fact that they recruit mentally immature teenagers shows that the ‘masters' don't have even a trace of shame or conscience," Kadyrov said in a post on the social media site Telegram.

He suggested the attack was targeted before the Eid al-Adha Islamic holiday.

Chechnya's Communications Minister Dzhambulat Umarov said the attackers ranged in age from 11 to 16.