NALCHIK. Aug 3 (Interfax-AVN) - Officers of Kabardino-Balkaria's Interior Ministry and the republican branch of the Federal Security Service have carried out 20 operations since the beginning of the year to detain members of armed groups, the prosecutor's office of Kabardino-Balkaria said in a press release on Monday.
"During the special purpose operations, 18 criminals were eliminated, two members of armed groups were persuaded to turn themselves in to the authorities and 18 arms caches were found. They contained 40 firearms, 48 grenades, nearly 10,000 various cartridges, about 100 kilograms of explosives, 34 detonators, and 76 radio sets," the prosecutor's office said.
Six militant bases, two of which were well-disguised, were destroyed in the republic's mountainous and forested areas.
Members of militant groups active in Kabardino-Balkaria are responsible for a considerable number of violent crimes, including armed robbery attacks on businessmen, robberies and car thefts, according to the reports circulated at a session of senior officials of the republic's law enforcement services.
"The objective of all crimes targeting officers of law enforcement services and servicemen is to destabilize the situation in the republic, to intimidate the civilian population and to undermine the authorities' reputation," the prosecutor's office said.