Shootout with Ingush militants leaves 4 civilians dead

AFP/Kazbek Basayev

18:5713/02/2010

MAGAS, February 13 (RIA Novosti)

Four civilians were killed during anti-militant operations in the volatile southern Russian republic of Ingushetia, the republic's president told RIA Novosti on Saturday.

President Yunus-Bek Yevkurov said that some 80 civilians had been evacuated from the special operations area before police authorities began an offensive against militants believed to be part of the network controlled by North Caucasus warlord Doku Umarov.

"This is the harvest season for wild garlic in the region and a group of harvesters remained in the area," Yevkurov said, adding: "During the shootout that followed, four civilians were caught in the crossfire."

On Friday, there were reports that between 10 and 17 militants had been killed in the special operation in a forested mountainous area in Ingushetia's Sunzhen region, a province west of Chechnya.

Ingushetia and the neighboring North Caucasus regions of Chechnya and Dagestan have been plagued by violence linked to separatist militants and criminal groups.

Fourteen militants die in police operation in Russia's Ingushetia

AFP/Kazbek Basayev

ROSTOV-ON-DON, February 12, 2010 (RIA Novosti) 

Fourteen militants were killed on Friday during a clash with law enforcers in the volatile south Russian republic of Ingushetia, an investigator said.

Earlier reports said that between 10 and 17 militants had been killed in a special operation in a forested mountainous area in Ingushetia's Sunzhen region, a province west of Chechnya.

"A preliminary search of the area resulted in the discovery of 14 dead militants, as well as of 10 assault rifles, four machine guns, a pistol, a portable radio transmitter and ammunition," he said.

The Federal Security Service (FSB) said earlier that the militants were part of the network controlled by North Caucasus warlord Doku Umarov.

Ingushetia and the neighboring North Caucasus regions of Chechnya and Dagestan have been plagued by violence linked to separatist militants and criminal groups.

Some 20 militants killed in south Russia

Around 20 militants have been killed in a clash with troops in the volatile south Russian republic of Ingushetia, the Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Friday.

It said the militants had been part of the network controlled by North Caucasus warlord Doku Umarov.

The fighting erupted in a forested mountainous area in Ingushetia's Sunzhen region, a province west of Chechnya, on Thursday, between FSB and Interior Ministry forces and a 20-30-strong militant group.

The FSB said the special operation was ongoing.

Ingushetia and the neighboring North Caucasus regions of Chechnya and Dagestan have been plagued by violence linked to separatist militants and criminal groups.

MOSCOW, February 12 (RIA Novosti)