At least 3 Russian soldiers killed in Dagestan bombing - Summary

Sun, 05 Sep 2010

Moscow - At least three Russian soldiers were killed in a suicide bombing at a military base in restive Dagestan republic in the North Caucasus region early Sunday, media reports quoting the defence ministry said.

The ministry said five of the 32 people injured in the attack were in a critical condition, according to the Interfax news agency. The injured were flown to a hospital in the southern city Rostov-on-Don.

The suicide bomber drove an explosives-laden car into a gate at the base, located about 2 kilometres north-east of Buinaksk city. Reports said around 50 kilograms of the explosive TNT was used in the bombing.

Guards had reportedly prevented further fatalities by blocking the entrance. Another bomb exploded on the roadside when investigators arrived at the scene, without causing injuries, authorities said.

President Dmitry Medvedev, who had been informed of the incident by Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov, offered support to the victims and their families.

Authorities have stepped up security at military bases in southern Russia in the wake the attack.

The suicide bombing came a day after an attack on Dagestan's Minister National Policy, Foreign Relations and Information, Bekmurza Bemurzayev. The minister escaped with light injuries when a bomb that had been planted under his car exploded but his driver was killed. Two bodyguards were injured.

Meanwhile, Dagestan police found the body of a police officer who was abducted on Friday.
Elsewhere in the North Caucasus, in Karbardino-Balkaria, a man killed a police officer who had stopped him.

Islamist separatists in the region have been fighting forces loyal to the Kremlin, hoping to establish an independent emirate.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/342764,dagestan-bombing-summary.html.