12 killed in new suicide blasts in Russia, days after metro attacks
The bombings in Dagestan came 48 hours after Moscow was hit by its bloodiest attack in six years — twin morning rush-hour blasts that killed 39.
Two suicide bombers, including one in police uniform, today launched a coordinated attack killing at least 12 people in Russia's volatile North Caucasus region of Dagestan, just two days after the terror attacks on Moscow metro, which were blamed on rebels from the region.
Hours after the blasts that also injured 27 others, prime minister Vladimir Putin said the same gang which carried out the Monday's attacks could be behind today's bombings.
"This is a crime against Russia," said Putin, who had yesterday vowed to 'drag the terrorists out of sewers'.
"One more crime has been committed in Daghestan, one more terrorist attack. I do not rule out that one and the same gang was involved," he said in televised remarks at the meeting of his inner cabinet.
Among the dead in today's attacks in the town of Kizlyar in Dagestan bordering the restive Chechnya was the local police chief Vitaly Vedernikov, Investigation Committee said in a statement.
According to the interior ministry, the first blast took place at 8.45 am (10:15 IST), when traffic policemen stopped a Niva jeep for document check near a police station and FSB security agency's office.
The driver of the jeep blew himself up, killing two policemen.
Another blast took place 20 minutes later when the local police chief along with investigators was probing the first explosion.
The second suicide bomber wearing uniform of a police
lieutenant blew himself in the crowd of onlookers, killing 10
people, including police chief Vedernikov.
A total of nine policemen were among 12 people killed in the two blasts and authorities have launched investigations into the latest attacks.
According to the Daghestani Investigation Committee, the force of the first blast of explosive laden Niva jeep in Kizlyar was equivalent to 200 Kg TNT creating a 5 meter wide and two meter deep crater.
Muslim-dominated Dagestan and other Caucasian regions neighbouring Chechnya have become frequent targets of
militant violence directed against the law enforcement
agencies.
Kizlyar town borders the restive province of Chechnya and has witnessed a bloody raid by Chechen militants in 1995, during the course of first Chechnya war under ex-president Boris Yeltsin.
Interior minister Rashid Nurgaliyev has ordered stepped up security at public places in Dagestan.
On learning the news of fresh terror attacks, president Dmitry Medvedev called up the leader of Dagestan and assured his full support in restoring security in the volatile region.
Medvedev spoke to Dagestani president Magomedsalam
Mogomedov and instructed him to give full help to the families
of the victims and provide medical and material aid to the
injured, Kremlin Press Service said.
The chiefs of the law enforcement agencies and security services briefed Medvedev about measures taken to investigate the Kizlyar blasts.
"The terrorists' goal is the destabilisation of the ituation in the country, the destruction of civil society, a desire to sow fear and panic among the population," Medvedev said in televised remarks at a meeting.
"We will not allow this... Everything that will be done will be aimed at consolidating our country and our nation," Medvedev said.
Medvedev described Monday's twin suicide attacks in Moscow and today's strikes as "all links in one chain".
On Monday, two women suicide bombers attacked Moscow
metro killing 39 people, the worst terror strike in the city in six years which the authorities have linked to militants from the North Caucasus region.
Meanwhile, Life.ru website has posted photos of the intact heads of female suicide bombers of Moscow metro stations, which were used by police for quick identification.
The police have also released a sketch of a man, who is reported to have triggered the explosive belts carried on them by the suicide bombers with the help of his mobile phone at both the stations, Life.ru reported.
It said, unlike at Lubyanka station under the FSB security service headquarters, where 25 people were killed, the second belt carried by woman bomber in Park Kultury did not explode that is why only 12 people died there.