Three bombs defused in Russia’s North Caucasus

Bomb disposal experts diffused three bombs with a combined capacity of 11 kg TNT in Russia’s North Caucasus republic of Kabardino-Balkaria on Monday, security officials said.

Investigators found the bombs in a half-built hotel owned by one of two suspected terrorists killed in a shootout with police in the region’s Elbrus region earlier on Monday.

“During an inspection of the premises we found three improvised explosive devices with total capacity of 11 kg of TNT, which were planned to be used to organize sabotage and terrorist attacks at socially important facilities in the region,” security officials said in a statement.

The statement named the suspected militants killed in the shootout as local terrorist leader Buzzhigit Khajiev, 41, who was on a federal wanted list, and Magomed Zalikhanov, 42.

More than a decade after the end of a war against separatists in Russia’s North Caucasus republic of Chechnya, Russian security forces continue to fight militants in other regions in the area, including Kabardino-Balkaria, Ingushetia, Dagestan, and North Ossetia. Frequent attacks are staged on security forces, police and civilians.

NALCHICK, May 23 (RIA Novosti)

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