MOSCOW, January 27 (Itar-Tass) —— Five gunmen from the Kizlyar gang were destroyed in a special operation in Dagestan. The gang is involved in terrorist crimes, the murders of priests and racketeering.
During the search operation against the gunmen, who are rampaging in Dagestan, the Russian Interior Troops jointly with law enforcers and security services, which are included in the armed force of the operations headquarters of the National Anti-Terrorist Committee in the republic, in the forest between Chernyaevka and Ukrainsky in the Kizlyar Region a group of armed bandits was detected, spokesman for the information centre of the National Anti-Terrorist Committee Nikolai Sintsov told Itar-Tass on Friday.
“When the federal forces were attempting to block the gang, which entrenched in a well-equipped and disguised dugout, the bandits put up armed resistance and opened fire from a machine gun and submachine guns,” the spokesman said. “During the shootout all five gunmen, who entrenched in the dugout, were destroyed. They are being identified,” he said.
“According to operational reports, destroyed gunmen were members of the so-called Kizlyar gang, which committed several terrorist crimes, numerous attempts on the life of civilians, clergymen and law enforcers, as well as extortions of big sums from businesspeople,” the spokesman said. “During the combat operation the law enforcement agencies sustained some losses – four servicemen of the Interior Troops were killed, another three were injured,” he said.
A well done cache for gunmen with foodstuffs and uniforms, submachine guns, a machine gun, cartridges and some parts of a homemade explosive device was found at the clash site.
A team of detectives is working at the scene.