Suspected militant blockaded in Makhachkala surrenders - law enforcement source
MAKHACHKALA. July 13 (Interfax) - A man suspected of belonging to illegal armed units and blockaded in a private house in the Alburikent neighborhood in Makhachkala surrendered on Saturday morning, a Dagestani law enforcement source told Interfax.
The suspect was persuaded to surrender through negotiations that lasted from Friday evening to Saturday morning, he said.
"The suspect's relatives were engaged in the negotiations," he said.
The source said a crowd of up to 200 people had gathered near the house where the suspect had been blocked early on Saturday. The people demanded that the blockade be lifted and the suspects released from the house.
"Operational headquarters officers explained the legal grounds of the counterterrorist operation regime to the gathering and warned that any unlawful actions would be curbed toughly. After that, the protesters dispersed," the source said.
The counterterrorist operation in Alburikent was launched at 9:00 a.m. Moscow time on Friday. A man suspected of belonging to illegal armed units had been blocked in the private house along with several women and children.
On March 20, a number of protesters in Makhachkala demanded that gunmen blockaded in a private house in the community of Leninkent be released. The protest was curbed by a special police task force. Magomed Magomedov, a member of the Dagestani parliament, was detained on June 27 on suspicion of organizing the March protest.
