Two militants killed in Russia's Dagestan

Moscow, April 25 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Police in Dagestan have killed two suspected militants, including a former student of a university in Cairo, the National Anti-terrorism Committee (NAC) said.

"Two militants were killed in a special operation in the village of Sogratl," an NAC spokesman said.

Both suspects were identified as local residents. One of them had allegedly studied in the Egyptian capital.

Police surrounded the suspects at a house in Sogratl village. During negotiations with authorities, the men released two women and a child being held hostage in the building.

However, the suspects refused to surrender and opened fire at law enforcement officers.

The spokesman said that the suspects belonged to the Kadar militant group, and could have been involved in a number of high-profile assassinations in the region. One of the suspects was on a federal wanted list.

Muslim-populated Dagestan, which neighbours Chechnya, is home to a low-level Islamist insurgency and sees frequent attacks on police and other officials.

--IANS/RIA Novosti

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