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Bomb Explodes Under FSB Officer's Car in Dagestan

Police surveying the bombed-out car of a top FSB officer in Dagestan who was severely wounded in the attack. Ruslan Alibekov

A bomb attack Monday in Dagestan severely injured a senior officer of the local branch of the Federal Security Service and killed his wife, Kommersant reported, citing local Investigative Committee sources.

The bomb went off under a Ford Focus belonging to Gasan Achilayev, head of the Khunzensky interdistrict branch of the FSB, about 9:20 a.m. in the regional capital of Makhachkala.

The explosion occurred right after Achilayev and his wife, Patimat, got into the car.

The blast killed Achilayev's wife and tore off one of his legs. He remained in emergency care Monday.

Investigators linked the attack to Achilayev’s successful campaigns against regional rebels.

Investigators have opened a criminal case on charges of attempted assassination of a law enforcement officer, murder and illegal discharge of weapons and explosives.

Taken together, the charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Two bombs went off in Makhachkala in the 12 hours preceding the attack on Achilayev, killing a rebel and injuring two students, Interfax reported.

One of the bombs accidentally exploded inside an apartment building as a rebel, identified as Omargadzhi Ibragimov, tried to plant it.

The explosion killed Ibragimov and destroyed two flights of stairs.

The other bomb, equivalent to 200 grams of TNT, went off outside a men's clothing store Sunday evening, injuring two young women.

Elsewhere, a small homemade bomb exploded outside a store in Sochi on Sunday evening and injured a 22-year-old man, Interfax said.

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