In Chechnya, unidentified person who killed three militiamen is searched

Chechen law enforcers are actively searching an unknown man who opened fire last Saturday, on February 21, in the afternoon, three fighters of the Buryat OMON (Special Militia Unit), after which two of them died. This incident took place in Urus-Martan.

The Chechen MIA has reported: "Employees of law enforcement bodies continue their active efforts aimed to establish and detain the unknown criminal who attacked in the afternoon, on February 21, in the city of Urus-Martan three fighters of the OMON of the Buryat MIA, who were sent to our republic. So far, no traces of the bandit have been revealed."

At about 4:20 p.m. on February 21, in the shop, where toys are sold, located in Ahmat Kadyrov Street of Urus-Martan (southwest of Chechnya), an unknown man opened shooting from a Stechkin automatic pistol at three Buryat OMON fighters. As a result of his shooting one of them died in place, the second - at hospital, and the third one was heavily wounded. The two perished fighters were officers.

One of Urus-Martan residents, with whom the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent had a telephone conversation, asserted that the gunman took away the fighters' pistols. "As far as I know, the OMON fighters were shot by a young man armed with a Stechkin. Before the leaving the place of the incident, he took away the militiamen's pistols," said the source.

The law enforcement bodies of Chechnya neither confirmed nor refuted this information.

The previous incident with victims among power agents happened in Chechnya on February 9 in a skirmish with militants. According to the local MIA, in Vedeno District, three militiamen were wounded; of them one later died in hospital.

For the last year in Chechnya, at least 97 militiamen and soldiers were killed, and at least 138 more were wounded. There were 39 terror acts, and at least 10 more were prevented. In 2008, the "Caucasian Knot" also reported about 73 special operations were conducted, in which 115 persons announced to be militants were liquidated.