On January 20-26, fourteen persons fell victim to armed conflict in Northern Caucasus

At least 14 people suffered from the armed conflict in Northern Caucasus during the week from January 20 to January 26, 2014; of them, nine persons were lost and five wounded. These are the results of the calculations made by the "Caucasian Knot" based on its own materials and information from other open sources.

The death toll includes seven suspected members of the armed underground (all of them in Dagestan) and two law enforcers (in the Stavropol Territory).

Attacks on law enforcers

On January 25, while driving his manoeuvre train along a railway stretch Zelenokumsk-Georgievsk in the Stavropol Territory, the locomotive operator noticed two cars under the bridge – a VAZ-2110 and a VAZ-2115; and reported to the dispatcher. When GIBDD (road police) inspectors arrived at the place, the cars were not there – instead, they saw an UAZ van and bodies of two policemen nearby.

Special operations and CTO regime

On January 20, at 9:30 a.m., the Sovietskiy district of Makhachkala was put under the counterterrorist operation (CTO) regime. Power agents blocked private houses in Eldarov Street and in the suburban settlement Novy Kyakhulay. The information about militants' presence in the latter was not confirmed, while in a house in Eldarov Street, according to power agents, several militants and a woman with children were blocked. They refused to surrender, but after negotiations let out the woman with two children. The subsequent battle resulted in killing three alleged members of the armed underground.

In the morning on January 21, in the settlement of Vinsovkhozny in Khasavyurt, power agents blocked a house where, according to their data, three members of the local militant grouping were hiding. After negotiations, two women and two children left the house, after which fire was opened. A fighter from the Bashkir OMON (riot police) was wounded in the shootout. When the house was inspected, no militants were found. It turned out that they left the household at night.

On January 21, in the Kizilyurt District of Dagestan, policemen blocked several private houses in the village of Stalskoe. During a special operation in the village of Zubutli-Miatli, Kizilyurt District of Dagestan, Eldar Magatov, who was, according to the police, Amir of the "Babayurt" terrorist grouping, was killed. During the shooting, a policeman was wounded.

On January 25 at 4:45 p.m., the Sovietskiy District of Makhachkala was put under the counterterrorist operation (CTO) regime; and a flat in a house in Gagarin Street was blocked. Power agents tried to establish contact with those blocked inside, but they opened fire on law enforcers. The special operation resulted in the killing of three suspected militants. Three policemen were wounded.

Neutralized bombs

On January 19, explosive experts defused a homemade bomb discovered in a private household in the Baksan District of Kabardino-Balkaria, where the folk healer who was killed last December had lived. The power of the explosive device was 10 kg of TNT (trotyl) equivalent.

On January 21, in the village of Ashaga-Stal, Suleiman-Stalsky District of Dagestan, FSB sappers defused a radio-controlled improvised explosive device (IED). Its power was about seven kg of TNT equivalent.

On January 22, during a search in a private house belonging to an officially unemployed man in the village of Karlanyurt, Khasavyurt District of Dagestan, a bomb was discovered. Its power was 10 kg of TNT equivalent; on January 23 it was neutralized.

Detentions

The owner of the above house in Karlanyurt, Khasavyurt District of Dagestan, where the above bomb was found on January 22, was detained.

On January 20, a resident of the village of Semender was detained on suspicion of aiding Makhmud Aliev, who was killed on January 18, and other members of the "Makhachkala" grouping. According to investigators, from December 2013 the 38-year-old detainee collaborated with the Aliev's grouping. During a search of his car and place of residence a grenade and numerous cartridges were found.

Disappearances

At night on January 12, Khizir Tlepshev, a villager of Dugulubgey, Baksan District of Kabardino-Balkaria, disappeared under unclear circumstances, said his wife Rameta Tlepsheva. She reported about several searches conducted in their house.