– 16 MILITANTS KILLED IN THE CAUCASUS

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Russian security forces in the southern region of Dagestan said, on Saturday 03/21/2009, they had ended an operation against militants after three days of clashes in which 16 Islamic militants and 5 security officers were killed.

At least 4 militants died overnight in the mainly Muslim region neighboring Chechnya. 5 policemen were killed since clashes started on Thursday 03/19/2009 and 12 other rebels were killed outside the regional capital of Dagestan of Makhachkala.

The internal ministry and the local FSB state security service said they were aiming to eliminate a band of militants operating 30 km (19 miles) south of Makhachkala. It appeared to be the biggest such security operation in the North Caucasus for several months.

“There are at least three non-Russians with Arab nationality amongst the dead militants, perhaps even four,” a Russian security sources said.

Dagestan, with a population of more than 2.5 million, is wedged between Chechnya and the Caspian Sea.

 

 

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