Three police officers have been killed and several others injured during a firefight with a group of gunmen in Russia’s southern Republic of Ingushetia, media have reported, citing law enforcement sources.
The incident is said to have taken place in the village of Zyazikov-Yurt. Regional security officials reportedly confirmed that officers had been deployed in response to the discovery of a group of militants in the area on Wednesday night, but did not give details on any casualties.
Conflicting reports have stated that seven or eight officers were injured in the gunfight, with at least three of them in a serious condition, according to the Izvestia newspaper.
The suspected militants were armed with automatic weapons and managed to escape after the firefight, a source cited by RIA Novosti claimed. It was unclear if the gunmen suffered any casualties.
Ingush authorities announced on Monday that a counterterrorist operation would be launched in the Malgobek district, where Zyazikov-Yurt is located. Five local residents were placed on a wanted list for allegedly planning a terrorist attack.
Last week, a militant assault at a traffic police checkpoint in Ingushetia left one officer injured. In the ensuing manhunt, two of the attackers were reportedly killed after opening fire at police in the city of Gudermes in the neighboring Chechen Republic.
The body of another gunman involved in the same shooting is said to have been discovered in an Ingush town. The corpse was reportedly covered with the black flag of terrorist organization Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS).
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