Security forces detain five gunmen in Chechnya, Dagestan

Russian security forces have detained a member of an illegally armed formation Aslambek Vagapov in the course of a security sweep carried out in the Chechen village Zakan-Yurt, where a Kalashnikov assault rifle, rounds of ammunition and several hand grenades were found in the yard of Vagapov’s house, a source at the Achkhoi-Martan district’s police headquarters told Tass on Monday.

The man is currently in custody in an investigation ward and giving testimony. The investigators are working to establish his possible involvement in some of the crimes perpetrated in the Achkhoi-Martan district earlier.

Two other militants - Ruslan Mamayev and Musa Mitigov - have been detained in the Khasavuyrt district of Dagestan. The detainees took part in combat actions against the federal troops in Chechnya’s Nozhai-Yurt district in 1999 as members of a bandit ring under the command of a certain Abolayev.

According to the same source, the prosecutor’s office of the Nozhai-Yurt district has opened a criminal case against the two men on charges of involvement in the organization of illegal paramilitary forces and illegal arms turnover.

In addition, Chechen police have detained the bandits’ accomplice who supplied them with food and medicines.

A resident of Ingushetia, who was detained in the Achkhoi-Martan district, has confessed to being a member of a group that committed an assault on Grozny in August.