Al-Qaeda emissary shot dead in Dagestan

14 Apr, 2009 18:55 / Updated 15 years ago

One of three militants, killed in Russia's southern republic of Dagestan on Monday, April 13 was linked to Al-Qaeda.

During a police operation in the town of Khasavyurt in Dagestan a Turkish citizen was killed. He was later reported to be an Al-Qaeda emissary in the republic. The information was confirmed by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB).

The man was shot dead near the Dagestan capital Makhachkala along with two accomplices on the Makhachkala highway.

“The militants opened automatic gunfire at a traffic police patrol which tried to stop their vehicle. The officers were forced to respond,” said the source in the Dagestani department of the FSB.

Two militants were identified as Khasavyurt residents Kurban Baisultanov and Ruslan Isayev. According to FSB, the Turkish citizen was the leader and was an Al-Qaeda link funding local militants.