Wahhabi leader killed in North Caucasus

A suspected Islamic militant leader in Russia's south has been killed in a shootout with police.

Officials say Anzor Astemirov opened fire at officers after he had been stopped for an identity check in the republic of Kabardino-Balkaria.

A Wahhabi adherent, 33 year-old Astemirov has been on the international wanted list for four years.

He is believed to have been behind a number of assaults on government buildings in Kabardino-Balkaria, among them an attack on the republic’s capital Nalchik in 2005, which killed 12 civilians and 35 police officers.