MOSCOW, January 18, /ITAR-TASS/. Seven bandits, including a leader of a group of gunmen, have been killed in a special operation in the village of Semender in Makhachkala's suburbs, Dagestan. The operation is over, a source at the National Antiterrorism Committee's information centre told Itar-Tass.
Members of the Makhachkala terrorist group were detected hot on the trail in a special operation conducted against bandits involved in the attack committed on Friday in Makhachkala, where fire was opened from a grenade launcher and a bomb was set off near a restaurant.
The counterterrorist operation regime was imposed in the village of Semender at midnight. Special-purpose forces of the Federal Security Service and the Russian Interior Ministry blocked the gunmen in a house.
After negotiations with the blocked bandits, a woman with three children left the house.
During the operation, when negotiations continued, the gunmen twice attempted to break through the cordon and escape. The attempts were thwarted, a NAC source said.
Seven bandits have been neutralized. Among them is Makhmud Aliyev, who became leader of the Makhachkala gang three days ago, and 26-year-old Zaira Aliyeva, widow of a bandit who was neutralized earlier. Bandits planned to use her as a suicide bomber.
The gunmen were blocked by law-enforcers on Friday night. The operation was suspended till Saturday morning. However, the gunmen opened fire at night and attempted to break through, but they failed, a local law-enforcement source told Itar-Tass earlier.
As was reported, the forces began to storm the house on Saturday. According to the NAC's information, after four bandits were killed, some still remained in the house, and the operation was continuing.
Now, the active phase of the counter-terrorist operation is over, the NAC source said.