PYATIGORSK. Aug 30 (Interfax) - Russian law enforcement agencies and federal forces eliminated 157 militants, among them 23 gang leaders, in the North Caucasus from January to July 2013, head of the Russian Interior Ministry's North Caucasus department Sergei Chenchik told reporters on Friday.
"The situation remains complicated in the district. A total of 126 terrorism-linked crimes were committed there over this period, which, however, is 40% less that over the same period the year before. They include 72 gunfire attacks, 54 explosions and 40 armed clashes," he said.
As many as 207 members of armed groups were detained, and 41 militants and their accomplices turned themselves in to police from January to July, he said.
Apart from that, 18 terrorism-related crimes were prevented, and 43 camps and 241 arms caches set up by militants were destroyed.
"Terrorism-linked crimes were prevented in the Stavropol Territory and North Ossetia. The number of such crimes decreased in other republics of the region. Dagestan accounts for 70% of the overall number of terrorism-linked crimes committed in the North Caucasus Federal District. But militant activity has been declining in this republic as well," Chenchik said.
From January to July 2013, gang members killed 65 officers of law enforcement agencies and injured another 212. Twenty-nine civilians were killed and another 39 were injured by militants in the North Caucasus.