NALCHIK, October 23 (Itar-Tass) The special operation is continuing in the Molybden mine in the city of Tyrnyauz in Kabardino-Balkaria to neutralise gunmen hiding in the mine, a source at the operational headquarters in the republic told Itar-Tass.

The search operation continues during the daytime and at night. Groups of special unit members examine mine sections, and they are replaced by others in some time. The lower part of the nine levels is completely searched through.

The mine sections extend almost 300 kilometres, and not all of the sections are linked with each other. Special unit members have to go there in water up to their knees and in complete darkness.

The group of gunmen was detected on October 20 during a special operation to find and neutralise members of illegal armed groups in the area of the abandoned tungsten-molybdenum plant. The gunmen escaped into one of the mines and were blocked there. A gunman was killed in fire exchange at the site. An officer of the Elbrus district police department was killed, and an OMON special police unit member from Volgograd was wounded.

The operation to find and neutralise the gunmen in the mine was launched on October 21, after they ignored the call of the Elbrus imam and local self-government deputies for surrendering.

A Kalashnikov gun, a pistol and 106 cartridges of various calibers were found in the mine, 3.5 kilometres away from the entrance. A homemade explosive device was found in an UAZ car near the second entrance. The bomb was destroyed.

Two local residents were detained at the site. An inquiry is launched to check whether they are linked to illegal armed groups and their accomplices. Four persons who gathered scrap metal were found in a nearby mine section.

The counter-terrorist operation regime is imposed in the area from 19:00 Moscow time October 20.

A criminal case is opened on charges of attacks against law-enforcement personnel and illegal possession of arms.

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