MAKHACHKALA, July 2 (RIA Novosti) - The terrorist attack in Daghestan (a North Caucasus republic of Russia, bordering on Chechnya) killed an officer, a contract serviceman, and eight conscripts of Russia's internal troops of the Interior Ministry, a ministry official said.
The blast went off at 2.15 pm Friday when three trucks with the military arrived at a steam bath in Atayev street, central Makhachkala.
According to Daghestani police, the explosive contained at least 5 kg of TNT. The explosion killed ten servicemen of the 8th detachment of the special forces, and wounded 11 who are now in a grave condition. Over ten civilians sustained various wounds.
The soldiers had been sent from Moscow to Daghestan to carry out a special pre-emptive operation.
Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev said a special group had been formed to investigate the terrorist assault.
The acting prosecutor of Daghestan, Zaur Isayev, told RIA Novosti that preliminary investigation had shown that a remote controlled explosive stuffed with metal objects and containing 7 kg of TNT had caused the explosion.
According to Isayev, "the terrorist attack that claimed so many lives and wounded so many people was another attempt to destabilize the situation in Daghestan."
