MAKHACHKALA. Dec 17 (Interfax) - A brief shootout was reported on the outskirts of the village of Shaitli in the Tsunta district of Dagestan in Russia's North Caucasus last night, a source in law enforcement agencies told Interfax.
"Security forces ran across a group of militants during a search operation. A shootout erupted, as a result of which three officers of law enforcement agencies sustained lethal wounds," he said.
The same armed clash also claimed the life of a border guard, and another border guard was rushed to the hospital with injuries, the source said.
A search for the militants in the forest will be resumed in the morning.
More forces and hardware have been sent to the site, the source said.
According to another source, an avalanche that hit the village recently is hampering the movement of hardware in the mountains.