NAZRAN. Oct 11 (Interfax-AVN) - Two militants were killed and one detained on Sunday in an operation in Gamurzhiyevo, a suburb of Nazran, Ingushetia, spokesman for the Federal Security Service (FSB) in Ingushetia Alexei Baigushkin told Interfax.
FSB officers neutralized members of an armed group led by Arab mercenary Abu Dzeit. One of the men killed was identified as Magomed Khashiyev, a close associate of Chechen separatist leader Shamil Basayev, the spokesman said.
Khashiyev, born in 1997, who was also known as Sahib and Khattab, was declared wanted on charges of terrorism for participating in both Chechen wars in the group of field commander Abu Al Walid, Baigushkin said. Khashiyev was later an aide to Abu Dzeit.
Since the end of 2002, Khashiyev was a leading figure in illegal armed groups operating in Ingushetia, organizing and perpetrating acts of terrorism in Ingushetia, Chechnya and North Ossetia in 2003-2004. He is believed to have been involved in organizing the terrorist act in Mozdok, Baigushkin said.
It has been established that Khashiyev was an organizer and participant in the June 22 raid on Ingushetia, the spokesman said. He was also involved in organizing the hostage-taking in School No. 1 in Beslan in September, he said.
Khashiyev took part in meetings with field commanders of Chechnya and Ingushetia and their so-called council, the spokesman said. In addition to Basayev, he personally knew Aslan Maskhadov, Doku Umarov, and other prominent field commanders, he said.
Two FSB officers were wounded in the Sunday operation, Baigushkin said.
He did not disclose any information about the other gunman who were killed, or the man who was captured in the Sunday fighting.