At least eleven people have been killed by armed attackers in the Russian republic of Dagestan.
In the city of Buinaksk, four policemen were killed at a police outpost and at least seven civilian women were shot and killed at a nearby sauna.
Then, according to reports, a group of 11 to 15 gunmen hijacked a truck with a driver and fled the scene.
The driver later managed to escape from the bandits and is being questioned at a local police department.
A search for the attackers has been launched and police have blocked all exits out of the city. Police suggest the attackers may have sought refuge in a nearby forest.
On Thursday, a police car came under fire in Dagestan’s capital of Makhachkala. In a separate incident no civilians were hurt, though two policemen were wounded during sniper attacks in the city.