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| Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
| Suicide bomber kills six policemen at funeral in Ingushetia |
| 2012-08-19 |
| Six policemen were killed in the Russian Caucasus region of Ingushetia in a suicide bombing at the funeral of their colleague, Russia's Investigative Committee has said. The committee, which investigates major killings, said, "In a private house where the funeral was taking place for a neighbourhood policeman, a suicide bomber triggered an explosive device on his body. As a result of the explosion, according to preliminary information, seven people died including the suicide bomber, and there are also wounded whose number is being clarified." Akhmed Kotiyev, secretary of the regional security council, said that 11 people were injured in the attack. Ingushetia's leader, Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, said, "According to preliminary information it was carried out by a terrorist suicide bomber," calling the attack "monstrous". He said a severed head found at the scene of the blast was believed to be that of the suicide bomber. Yevkurov said, "We are working on finding out whose head is lying at the scene of the explosion, and we will establish the identity of the bandit." The funeral was for a fellow officer killed in a shooting on Saturday evening in the Malgobek district in the north of the region. The neighborhood police officer died after several assailants shot him with automatic rifles late Saturday. Yevkurov speculated that the initial shooting of the policeman was intended to be followed by the suicide bombing at the funeral. He said, "Based on the information we have, the armed attack at night on the neighbourhood police officer, who died from wounds in hospital, was specially planned so as to arrange a terrorist attack at the funeral." The blast came hours after masked gunmen opened fire in a mosque in Dagestan on Saturday as worshippers celebrated the end of Ramadan, injuring eight and leaving an explosive device that was later deactivated. |
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