NAZRAN, November 6. /TASS/. The explosive device that detonated at a traffic police checkpoint in the Nazran district of the Russian North Caucasus region of Ingushetia was equivalent to seven or eight kilos of TNT, a source with the Ingush law enforcement agencies told TASS on Sunday.
"According to preliminary information, an explosive device with a power equivalent to 7-8 kg of TNT was detonated on the body of a suicide bomber at the traffic police checkpoint near the village of Yandare. The building of the checkpoint was utterly ruined by a shockwave," he said noting the suicide bomber’s body was under the rubble.
Earlier, TASS reported that one of the two gunmen neutralized at the traffic police checkpoint was identified as a resident of the town of Karabulak. The second man is being identified, a regional police source told TASS.
At 17.30 Moscow time, traffic police officers got engaged in a firefight with gunmen who were trying to secretly approach the police checkpoint near the village of Yandare in Ingushetia’s Nazran district and attack it.
Two gunmen have been neutralized in an exchange of fire. Luckily, no civilians were hurt, Russia’s National Anti-Terrorism Committee (NAC) said. Firearms, ammunition and a homemade explosive device stuffed with a large amount of projectiles were found at the scene.
A counterterrorism operation was launched in the area.
"Investigators of the regional branch of the Russian Investigative Committee are working at the scene. Required search activities are underway," NAC said.