Eight militants have been killed by police during a special operation in Russia’s southern republic of Ingushetia.
The gunfight took place in a forest near the border with the neighboring republic of Chechnya.
According to President of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov, among the dead militants are the self-proclaimed “Emir of Ingushetia” Azamat Makhauri and a resident of Kazakhstan.
Kadyrov said that it was a brother of Azamat Makhauri Rustaman, the self-proclaimed Defense Minister of militants, who said where the band was located. Rustaman Makhauri, also known by the nickname “Bear”, was detained on Wednesday.
In recent months, the security situation in the Russian Caucasus has deteriorated.
A suicide bomber badly wounded the President of Ingushetia – Yunus-Bek Yevkurov – in June, and several high-profile officials have also been killed.
More than 60 civilians, almost ninety security officers and 150 militants have died in violence this year.