Insurgent chief killed in southern Russia

    MOSCOW, Jan. 10, 2010, (Xinhua) --

Russian police killed an insurgent leader in the North Caucasus republic of Dagestan in a security operation on Sunday, Russian news agencies reported.

    "The person killed during a special operation has been preliminarily identified as Madrid Begov, leader of the Makhachkala and Shamkhal group," a local police spokesman was quoted as saying.

    The insurgent chief was trapped in a house near Makhachkala, capital of Dagestan, on Sunday morning. The police stormed the house and shot him dead after he refused to surrender, the spokesman said.

    Begov has been wanted for attempting to murder a senior security officer in Makhachkala in April, 2009.

    Russia's mainly-Muslim North Caucasus republics, especially Chechnya, Dagestan and Ingushetia, have seen a rise in insurgency lately. Five policemen were killed in a suicide bombing in Makhachkala on Wednesday.

Editor: Fang Yang

Chieftain of insurgent group killed in operation in Makhachkala

10.01.2010, 14.47

MAKHACHKALA, January 10 (Itar-Tass) -

Ringleader of the Shamkhal-Makhachkala insurgent group Madrid Begov, 35, was killed in a special operation in Makhachkala, Itar-Tass learnt at the press service of the Dagestan branch of the Federal Security Service on Sunday.

According to the press service, “Begov was sealed off on Sunday at a private home in the Kuliyev Street, a suburb of Makhachkala”. The regime of a counter-insurgency operation was imposed there at 09.30.

According to a source, “Begov opened fire on law enforcers in response to a proposal to surrender. As a result of an attack, the gunman was killed.” Policemen found a submachine gun, a grenade launcher, grenades, religious literature, medicines and components to explosive devices. According to investigation, Begov was on a federal Wanted List since April 2009.

The private house where Begov was in hiding, was tenanted by several gunmen, three of whom were destroyed on Saturday evening not far from the village of Shamkhal 20 kilometres away from Makhachkala. A mobile police patrol tried to stop an Oka car for checking documents. However, the driver disobeyed the policemen’s demand.

Fire was opened on police officers from the car. Following a short firing engagement, the car exploded and caught fire. According to data of law enforcement bodies, the gunmen who belonged to the Shamkhal-Makhachkala terrorist group, carried explosive devices in the Oka car, which they intended to use for terror acts.

Group of gunmen sealed off in private home in Dagestan

10.01.2010, 12.27

MAKHACHKALA, January 10 (Itar-Tass) -

A group of gunmen was enveloped at a private home in the Kuliyev Street, a Makhachkala suburb, Itar-Tass learnt on Sunday at the press service of the Dagestan branch of the Federal Security Service.

According to the press service, “gunmen opened fire on law enforcers in response to a proposal to surrender”. A source reported that “a battle is raging now, and nothing is known now about the number of blockaded gunmen”.

On Sunday at 09.30, a regime of a counter-insurgency operation, providing for restriction of movements of citizens and transport, has been introduced in the Kuliyev Street and adjoining area.