Translated material
Double Strike
Special services conducted a series of successful operations against militants in Dagestan
In Dagestan yesterday, security forces carried out two major special operations, as a result of which a total of 14 militants were killed. These are the largest losses of the separatists in recent times. Thus, federal forces continued the successful offensive against the Dagestan bandit underground that began at the end of August. Since then, special operations, usually accompanied by fierce firefights, have been carried out in the republic almost every day. According to preliminary data, during these operations, almost fifty militants were eliminated over the past month alone.The militants, however, have not yet reduced their activity. A day earlier, on Tuesday, in the city of Izberbash, four employees of the republican Ministry of Internal Affairs were killed as a result of shelling of a police car. Yesterday it became known that the number of victims as a result of a major terrorist attack committed last week in Makhachkala has increased. Then, during another special operation, the policemen standing in the cordon were attacked by a suicide bomber. As a result of the explosion, more than 40 people were injured.
As reported by the National Anti-Terrorism Committee (NAC), both special operations in Dagestan began yesterday almost simultaneously, at about 6.30. One took place in the village of Semender on the outskirts of Makhachkala, the other in Kaspiysk near the Khazar health center.
Security forces blocked groups of militants in private homes. The terrorists refused their request to surrender, despite the fact that in both cases the secret service officers involved their relatives in the negotiations. As a result, firefights ensued, as a result of which all the separatists were destroyed. The bodies of nine bandits were discovered in Kaspiysk, and five in Makhachkala. Losses among law enforcement officers were avoided.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday in the city of Izberbash, the separatists themselves attacked police officers. As the republican department of the SKP said, among the dead was the head of the interdistrict department of the Center for Combating Extremism of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Dagestan, Rajap Ramazanov, as well as one of his deputies. The incident occurred at about five o'clock in the evening on Gamidov Street near the Jasmine cafe. When Mr. Ramazanov and four of his colleagues were walking down the street, unknown assailants fired at them with machine guns. Three died on the spot, and the head of the department later died in hospital. The attackers managed to escape.
In addition, it became known yesterday that the number of victims in another terrorist attack that occurred in Makhachkala last Friday has increased. Then, during a special operation, a suicide bomber blew himself up among police officers standing in a cordon. At first it was reported that no one was killed except the suicide bomber, but 42 people were injured. According to the latest data, two police officers injured in the explosion died in the hospital. In addition, the number of wounded increased to 44. Five people (three police officers and two civilians) are still in serious condition.
It is worth noting that until recently, militants in Dagestan, at least judging by reports from the regional Ministry of Internal Affairs, acted with almost impunity. Reports of terrorist attacks and attacks on security forces were received almost every day. As a result, in August the republic's leadership directly complained to President Dmitry Medvedev about the poor work of local law enforcement officers. Almost immediately after this, the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Dagestan, Ali Magomedov, was dismissed, who was replaced in this post by his namesake Abdurashid Magomedov. Whether this was just a coincidence or not is still unclear, but after this the special services launched a large-scale and successful offensive against local separatists.
At the end of the summer, several successful special operations were carried out in Dagestan, as a result of which more than a dozen separatists were killed, including several prominent leaders of the republican bandit underground. In particular, the leader of the Khasavyurt militants, Rustam Munkiev, was eliminated , as well as Magomedali Vagabov , whom investigators considered the organizer of the terrorist attack in the Moscow metro in March of this year, when 40 people were killed and about 140 were injured. And as a result of the latest series of special operations, more than 40 militants were killed in Dagestan just from the beginning of September.