10 Oct 2017 11:45

Militants killed in Dagestan involved in murder of policeman, civilians - NAC

MOSCOW. Oct 10 (Interfax) - The two militants recently killed in Dagestan, in Russia's North Caucasus, were members of the so-called Shamilsky gang and were involved in the murder of a police officer, the press service of the Russian National Antiterrorism Committee (NAC) said.

"The criminals were urged to lay down their arms and turn themselves in to authorities. In response, they opened fire with automatic weapons. Both militants were neutralized by return fire," the NAC said in a statement shared with Interfax on Tuesday.

Available information indicates they were members of the Shamilsky gang, which was involved in a series of murders in 2015-2016, including the killing of a district administration head, a district police chief and a teacher widely respected among the local population. Members of this gang were also involved in extorting money from entrepreneurs, according to the statement.

Automatic weapons and ammunition were confiscated from the site of the armed clash.

"No civilians were hurt, and there were no losses among law enforcement personnel. Investigators are working at the scene," it said.

It was reported earlier that security services were alerted to the presence of gang members suspected of terrorism-related crimes on the outskirts of the village of Teletl in Dagestan's Shamilsky district.

The administration of the Russian Federal Security Service's Dagestan branch decided to conduct a counter-terrorism operation.