GROZNY. Sept 14 (Interfax-AVN) - Five militants, including Shamil-Khadzhi Muskiyev, a guerrilla close to the alleged successor to late Chechen separatist leader Aslan Maskhadov, were killed in the town of Argun, Chechnya's First Deputy Prime Minister Ramzan Kadyrov told Interfax-Military News Agency on Wednesday.
"An armed clash erupted between law enforcement officers and illegal armed group members in the town of Argun. Shamil-Khadzhi Muskiyev, Maskhadov's deputy successor, was killed. Another four guerrillas were eliminated as well," he said.
Kadyrov described Muskiyev as "the main ideologist of illegal armed groups and Maskhadov's successor Abdul-Khalim Saidullayev's right hand." The official also accused the guerrilla of involvement in the murder of nearly 90 people in the village of Tsatsan-Yurt in the Kurchaloi district.
Senior Argun police officer Abubakar Dzhabrailov was killed and another two policemen were injured in the sweep operation, which is being overseen by Chechen Military Commandant Lieutenant General Grigory Fomenko, Chechen Interior Minister Ruslan Alkhanov and other top law enforcement officials, he said.
Alkhanov told Interfax the guerrillas killed in Argun were planning a series of terrorist attacks in the town. "The militants planned to seize the city administration building, the interior forces headquarters and other offices. We received information about their plans. The group was fully eliminated. Six automatic weapons, five revolvers, under-barrel grenade launchers and a large amount of ammunition were confiscated," he said.
Argun police chief Ali Tagirov said that his units are now combing the area for other guerillas.