MOSCOW, April 13. /TASS/. The Federal Security Service (FSB) and Interior Ministry special units are suppressing thugs blocked in a suburb of Makhachkala, the capital of the Russian North Caucasus Republic of Dagestan, by force, Russia’s National Antiterrorism Committee (NAC) told TASS Wednesday.
"In response to legitimate demands of the law enforcement officers to lay down arms and surrender to the authorities, the gunmen opened fire from automatic weapons. The FSB and Interior Ministry special units were forced to start suppressing the thugs by force," NAC said.
- Counterterror operation underway in south Russia
- Counter-terrorist operation regime triggered in Dagestan’s district
- Counter-terror operation regime introduced in part of district in Russia's Dagestan
- Policeman killed when stopping suspicious car in Dagestan — Russian Interior Ministry
- Terrorist act prevented in Russia's Dagestan — National Antiterrorism Committee
A spokesman for the NAC Operational Headquarters in Dagestan told TASS earlier that the regime of a counterterrorism operation has been introduced in the village of Leninkent in a suburb of Makhachkala.
"The regime of a counterterrorism operation was introduced at 16:00 in the village of Leninkent of the Kirovsky District of Makhachkala. Events to search for militants and their accomplices are underway," the spokesman said.
Law enforcers blocked the house with militants inside, a Dagestani law enforcement source and NAC told TASS. He said the special operation has entered its active phase.
"A suspicious house was blocked, the report that militants are inside has been confirmed. The militants opened fire on law enforcers, after which the regime of a counterterrorism operation was introduced and the active phase of the special operation began," the source said.
The source did not rule out that among the blocked militants could be those involved in the blowing up of a Russian Interior Ministry Troops vehicle convoy that occurred March 29 in a Makhachkala suburb, when one officer was killed and another two wounded.
Earlier it was reported that law enforcers blocked a number of streets in Leninkent in the morning. "Operative information on location of gang members and their accomplices is being worked out, targeted checks are underway," a source in law enforcement structures of the North Caucasus Federal District said.
A Dagestani law enforcement source said a fire started in the blocked house during its storm.
Russia’s law enforcement agencies continue fighting militants in the North Caucasus over 15 years since the battle phase of the second war against Islamist separatists in Chechnya came to an end in 2000. Attacks on security officials and civilians occur from time to time in Dagestan, Ingushetia and Kabardino-Balkaria.