A video released by the Tatarstan police force showing a special operation Wednesday
against a group of suspected militants in Kazan.
Federal security forces killed at least three "radical Islamist" gunmen in the city of Kazan on Wednesday, media reports said, in fighting that will deepen fears of a rise in Islamist militancy in the mostly Muslim Tatarstan region.
Police and security troops surrounded an apartment building in the city — some 720 kilometers east of Moscow — where an unknown number of gunmen were hiding on the first floor, the regional Interior Ministry branch said.
Three of the gunmen and a Federal Security Service officer were killed and another officer wounded during the siege, which continued into the evening, the ministry said.
The ministry said the total number of fighters was unknown and added that one of those killed had an explosive device. News agencies cited law enforcement sources as saying the gunmen were "adherents of radical Islam."
Unlike Russia's volatile North Caucasus region, where clashes between police and Islamist insurgents are regular events, oil-producing Tatarstan has until recently been relatively peaceful.
In July, Tatarstan's top Islamic official, mufti Ildis Faizov, was wounded in a car-bomb attack, and his deputy was shot dead the same day. President Vladimir Putin traveled to Tatarstan in August to call for an end to religious violence.
Related articles:
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.