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Senior Militant Killed in Dagestan Fighting

Russia's counterterrorist forces killed the chief of a rebel group in Dagestan on Saturday, after a suicide bomber wounded at least 26 people, Russian news agencies reported.

"Alibek Abunazarov was on the federal wanted list for a long time. According to our information, he was involved in several terrorist acts [as well as] attacks on and killings of policemen," a local law enforcement official said, RIA-Novosti reported.

Three other rebels were killed in the same operation, local agencies reported.

The suicide bomber had earlier set off explosives after approaching police guarding a site where security forces had fought suspected militants late Friday, Interfax reported, citing the National Anti-Terrorism Committee.

The blast wounded 13 police officers and 13 civilians, Interfax said. Other reports said as many as 30 people had been hurt.

On Friday, unidentified assailants gunned down a school principal in her home in Dagestan, while 12 other people died in shootouts across the North Caucasus.

Interfax said two militants and two law enforcement officers had also been killed in Friday's antirebel operation.

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