Russia: Ten killed in clashes with militants
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Ten people were reported killed yesterday in clashes between security forces and suspected militants in Russia's mainly Muslim North Caucasus.
The Interfax news agency said five insurgents and three policemen were killed in a gun battle on the border between the Christian-majority region of Stavropol and the mainly Muslim Karachay-Cherkessia province.
In Chechnya, the site of two separatist wars since the 1991 Soviet collapse, two militants about to be captured by police blew themselves up with explosives strapped to their belts, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov told Interfax. No police were injured, he said.
A decade after separatists were driven from power in Chechnya, the North Caucasus is wracked by violence and the Kremlin faces a growing challenge from rebels who want to establish an Islamic state.
On Monday two suicide bombers killed four and injured 27 in Dagestan, which borders Chechnya and is considered the heart of the insurgency.
President Dmitry Medvedev, citing Islamist attacks, has said terrorism is Russia's top threat.
Earlier this month Islamist leader Doku Umarov, a Chechen, said he ordered the suicide bomb attack on Moscow's Domodedovo airport that killed 36 people on 24 January.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments