3 militants killed in Dagestan

Three militants were killed in the Russian North Caucasus republic of Dagestan when they opened fire during a police check, police said. "Police officers tried to stop a car near the Manas village but people inside the car opened fire. All the three people inside were killed by return fire," Russian news agency (RIA Novosti) quoted a police spokesman as saying. A Federal Security Service (FSB) spokesman said one of those killed was identified as Kamil Magomedov, a subversive group leader reportedly involved in an attempt to organize a terrorist attack in Moscow on December 31, 2010. He said a second militant was identified as Magomedsultan Aigunov, on a federal wanted list, and the third man''s identity was not established yet. Two handguns and a grenade were seized from the site. An investigation is underway. More that a decade after the end of a federal war against separatists in Russia''s North Caucasus republic of Chechnya, Russian security forces continue to fight militants in other regions in the area, who stage frequent attacks on security forces, police and civilians.