MOSCOW, January 12. /TASS/. The gunmen eliminated in a special security operation in the North Caucasian Republic of Dagestan were involved in recruiting youths for the Islamic State terrorist organization (outlawed in Russia), the country’s National Anti-Terror Committee told TASS on Saturday.
"The gunmen eliminated in Dagestan yesterday have been identified. According to the data of the National Anti-Terror Committee’s operational headquarters, they were involved in recruiting the youth into the ranks of the IS terrorist organization and rendering assistance to terrorists active in Kaspiysk and eliminated in counter-terror operations in 2017," the National Anti-Terror Committee said.
According to the Committee’s information, the gunmen planned an attack on a religious worship facility and law-enforcers.
In the course of search measures, the security forces detained a resident of Kaspiysk, an accomplice of the gunmen eliminated in Dagestan, the National Anti-Terror Committee said.
According to the Committee’s data, he was previously convicted for rendering assistance to terrorists and the infringement on the life of law enforcement personnel.
"He gave confessionary evidence on the creation of a terrorist cell and the intentions of its members," the National Anti-Terror Committee said.
As the National Anti-Terror Committee reported earlier, a group of unidentified persons driving a VAZ 2107 car made an attempt to attack road police on the Kizilyurt - Makhachkala federal highway on Friday evening. During the chase, the car was detected near the community of Agachul in the Karabudakhkent district of Dagestan. In response to the law enforcers’ demand to stop the car, lay down the arms and surrender, the gunmen opened fire using automatic rifles. As a result of the combat engagement, three militants were eliminated.
The security forces found two sub-machine guns, a pistol and ammunition in the car. There were no casualties among the law enforcers.