MOSCOW, March 27 (Itar-Tass) —— A leader of an underground group of gunmen operating in Kabardino-Balkaria was killed in Nalchik, the National Anti-Terrorism Committee's information centre told Itar-Tass.
The gunman was blocked in a private house in Nalchik early on Tuesday morning, at 04:30 Moscow time.
The NAC's operational headquarters in the republic imposed the counterterrorist operation regime in the part of the city to neutralize the gunman.
Before the active phase of the operation was launched, the bandit was proposed to surrender. In response, he offered armed resistance and was neutralized when the house was stormed.
The supposition of security services that the man was a leader of an underground group of terrorists operating in Kabardino-Balkaria has been confirmed. It is Alim Zankishiyev, nicknamed Ubaida.
According to the operational headquarters' information, Zankishiyev was on a federal wanted list since 2006 for terrorism crimes.
Since 2011, after the gunmen's former leader Dzhappuyev was neutralized, Zankishiyev coordinated terrorist activities of groups of gunmen in Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachai-Cherkessia. During the period, the gunmen committed more than 30 acts of terror in the republic, murders of law enforcement officers and servicemen, attacks against officials and bomb explosions.
Besides, members of the groups, with threats to kill, extorted substantial sums of money from businessmen.
Zankishiyev was also involved in the organization of the murders of military pilot Denis Nikolayev and investigator Kantemir Kyarov in January-February this year. He also organized an attack against Urvan district administration head Antemirkan Kanokov.
Two handguns, including a foreign-made one, cartridges and grenades were found on the scene when it was examined after the fighting.