Mr Kadyrov, whose region has suffered a sharp rise in attacks blamed on the rebels this year, said he believed one of those killed might be Doku Umarov, who had declared himself the head of a North Caucasus "emirate."
Special forces troops launched a ground operation on Friday after helicopter gunships opened fire on the suspected rebels, Interfax news agency quoted Mr Kadyrov as saying. He said government forces suffered no casualties.
The battle took place in a mountain area outside the village of Shalazh, 30 km southwest of Grozny, the Chechen government statement said.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Thursday an upsurge of violence in the North Caucasus region, which includes Chechnya, Dagestan and Ingushetia, was Russia's biggest domestic problem.
Reuters