A suspected militant has been killed in a special operation near Nazran, the largest city of south Russia's Republic of Ingushetia, a local police source has said.
"At approximately 20:00 Moscow time on Saturday [17:00 GMT] a special FSB unit blocked a car with a suspected militant in the village of Barsuki. The details of the operation have not been disclosed, but this person was killed as a result," the source told RIA Novosti by phone, without giving any further details.
In a separate incident, eyewitnesses told RIA Novosti shooting was heard in another Ingush village, Pliyevo, shortly before midnight.
"We don't know what is going on. First, there were two blasts... I think, someone fired shots from an under-barrel grenade launcher. I can also hear shots from assault rifles, right now" the source said.
The republic's law-enforcers did not comment on the report.
Russia's mainly Muslim North Caucasus republics, especially Chechnya, Dagestan and Ingushetia, have seen an upsurge of militant violence lately, with frequent attacks on police and officials.
The Kremlin has pledged to wage "a ruthless fight" against militant groups but has also acknowledged the need to tackle unemployment, organized crime, clan rivalry and corruption as causes of the ongoing violence in the region.
ROSTOV-ON-DON / NAZRAN, March 28 (RIA Novosti)
