Insurgency-related Violence Reported in Kabardino-Balkaria and Dagestan

Russian law-enforcement agencies conducted a special operation today (April 29) in the village of Progress, located on the administrative border between Kabardino-Balkaria and Stavropol Krai. According to the National Anti-Terrorist Committee (NAK), 16 people suspected of involvement with the "armed underground” were killed in the operation. There was no information concerning losses among the security forces. The operation was carried out by personnel of the Interior Ministry branch for the North Caucasus Federal District, who had surrounded a group of alleged rebels in a private home in Progress on April 27. According to the Russian authorities, the battle began after the blockaded militants put up "armed resistance.”
 
Four local rebel leaders were reportedly among the slain militants: Asker Dzhappuev, aka Abdullah, the 40-year-old leader of the militants in Kabardino-Balkaria; Ratmir Shameyev, a 22-year-old resident of Nalchik, ...

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Arsen Kanokov (Moscow Times)

On April 1, the head of Kabardino-Balkaria, Arsen Kanokov, and Moscow’s envoy to the North Caucasus, Aleksandr Khloponin, jointly announced that the resignation of the republic’s government was imminent, probably due on April 4. Kanokov held his government responsible for Kabardino-Balkaria’s instability over the previous several months. "The government is responsible, in particular, for interaction with youth, for fighting the religious extremism,” Kanokov stated. "I plan to strengthen precisely these sides in the new administration.” Khloponin reassured Kanokov that he still trusted him and that he did not think Kanokov himself was responsible for the instability that has been growing Kabardino-Balkaria since May 2010 (www.gazeta.ru, April 1).

Aleksandr Merkulov was appointed as the head of Kabardino-Balkaria’s government in August 2009, following his predecessor, Andrei Yarin’s departure to the Russian president’s administration. Merkulov and Yarin, ...