MOSCOW. June 26 (Interfax) - The Russian National Antiterrorist Committee (NAC) has announced that two militants were neutralized in the cities of Derbent and Makhachkala in the Republic of Dagestan in Russia's North Caucasus.
NAC said in a press release, seen by Interfax on Thursday, that Malik Ulubekov, a member of a militant group active in Dagestan's village of Sogratl, was killed in a shootout with police in Derbent, while gang leader Makhach Taimudarov was neutralized as he attempted to break through a security force cordon in Makhachkala.
"FSB [Russia's Federal Security Service] was alerted about a person involved in terrorism-linked crimes hiding in one of the privately owned houses on Narimanov Street in the city of Derbent. A counter-terrorism operation was launched in the city. The territory surrounding the house was sealed off and all tenants were evacuated. There were also two women in the house - the militant's common-law wife and his mother. They were allowed to leave the building in the course of negotiations," NAC said.
The militant trapped inside the house refused to surrender and lay down his arms, it said. A shootout ensued, as a result of which the militant was killed.
"He has been tentatively identified as Malik Ulubekov, an active member of the Sogratl armed group. He joined the gang in the autumn of 2013 and was immediately involved in attacks on policemen staged by gang members on the outskirts of the village of Sogratl this year, killing three police officers and injuring another ten. Two soldiers of the Russian Internal Troops were killed as a result of another attack, in which Ulubekov took part as well," NAC said.
The second militant neutralized in Makhachkala on Wednesday morning has been identified as Makhach Taimudarov, the leader of one of the gangs active in Dagestan, NAC said.
In 2005, Taimudarov was expelled from a local mosque for promoting extremist religious ideas, he started to help militants in 2007, and then established close contact with Aliaskhab Kebekov, who took over the central command of all North Caucasus gangs following the killing of Doku Umarov by Russian security forces.
"Taimudarov was responsible for brainwashing young people in order to persuade them to join militant groups. He agreed to "turn himself in to" the authorities twice in February 2008 and in October 2010, when Taimudarov publicly renounced his extremist views and vowed to mend his ways and return to a peaceful life," NAC said.
However, Taimudarov again started to rally young people around himself, claiming to be their ideological leader. Subsequently, he rejoined militant groups and took part in their sorties.
None of the civilians or security officers was killed or injured during the latest counter-terrorism operation, NAC said.