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Soldier, three terrorists killed in Dagestan gun battle
Three Islamic terrorists militants and an army soldier were killed during a gun battle in the North Caucasus republic of Dagestan.

The skirmish took place during a law enforcement operation in a forest outside the village of Endirei. No details were immediately available.

Seven bombs worth a combined 19 kilograms of TNT were found earlier on Saturday in a house in the regional capita Makhachkala. Police detained 11 suspects in connection with the discovery.

Earlier this week, media reports claimed the regular army may rejoin the hunt for terrorists in the volatile region for the first time since 2006. Airstrikes were reported on the outskirts of Makhachkala on Tuesday.

Media blamed the tentative army involvement on an upsurge in terrorist insurgent activity, but the Kremlin’s envoy to the North Caucasus, Alexander Khloponin, denied it on Saturday. He said, “There’s no upsurge in terrorist activity, only an upsurge in law enforcement activity.”

He added that the airstrikes in Makhachkala were part of a military exercise.
Posted by: ryuge 2012-10-14
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=353858