13 militants killed in Northern Russia

At least 13 militants and two police officers were killed overnight during two separate operations carried out by Russian security forces following the assassination of a senior police officer in the volatile north Caucasus region

At least 13 militants and two police officers were killed overnight during two separate operations carried out by Russian security forces following the assassination of a senior police officer in the volatile north Caucasus region, National Anti-terror Centre said today.

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The special operations were carried in Daghestani capital Makhachkala and Kizilyurt district's Komsomolskoe village near the Chechnya border.

"According to information coming in on Monday, in the course of counter-terrorism operation carried out on September 12 in Makhachkala 10 members of underground bandit outfit were neutralised," Itar-Tass reported quoting National Anti-terror Centre.

In another operation based on an input of Federal Security Service, three militants, including local warlord Shamil Magomednabiyev, were killed in Komsomolskoe gunbattle. Meanwhile, NTV reported that the anti-militant operations
were launched in "hot pursuit" of killers, who shot dead senior police officer, dealing with counter-terror operations
in north Caucasus region, last morning.

"The special operations were launched after the head of the North Caucasus Federal District's anti-extremism department Lt Col Gapal Gadzhiyev was killed as he drove to work on Sunday morning," NTV said, showing footage of the gunbattle between commandos and militants holed up in a house in Kirov area of Makhachkala.

Security forces had to use grenade launchers and armoured vehicle to collapse the wall of the building to suppress
resistance of the militants, including a woman, the channel added.