Organizer of arms smuggling channel killed in Kabardino-Balkaria
NALCHIK. April 14 (Interfax) - The organizer of an arms smuggling channel to Kabardino-Balkaria has been killed in a counterterrorism operation in a cottage village outside Nalchik, the National Antiterrorism Committee's information center reported on Tuesday.
"The Federal Security Service acted on a tip-off about the whereabouts of a man who was reportedly making weapons and supplying them to gangs to carry out terror attacks - a cottage village near to the southwestern limits of Nalchik," the information center said.
"A counterterrorism operation regime was declared in the cottage village at 5 a.m. on Tuesday. The house where the suspect reportedly was at that moment was surrounded by security and interior forces. Local residents were evacuated," it said.
"Atmir Kerefov, 39, the weapon manufacturer and supplier of arms and explosives to criminal armed groups active in Kabardino-Balkaria, was killed after he refused to surrender and offered armed resistance to law enforcement officials," it said.
A pistol with a silencer, cartridges, a grenade, grenade rounds, several self-made bombs and bomb components were discovered in the house.
There were no civilian or law enforcement casualties.
The counterterrorism operation regime was called off at 9 a.m.
