Two Alleged Militants Killed In Russia's Ingushetia

Russian authorities said two alleged militants have been killed in a counterterrorism operation in the North Caucasus region of Ingushetia.

The National Antiterrorism Committee (NAK) said on June 8 that security troops killed the two individuals in Ingushetia's largest city, Nazran.

According to the NAK, the two militants planned a series of terrorist attacks in the region. It provided no further details.

The two post-Soviet separatist wars in the neighboring region of Chechnya have spawned an Islamist insurgency across much of the North Caucasus.

Islamic militants in the region have mounted frequent attacks on police, moderate Muslims, and officials, and some have sworn allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) extremist group.

Russia estimates some 2,000 citizens, mostly from the North Caucasus, have fought alongside IS in Syria.

Organized crime, business turf wars, political disputes, and clan rivalry also contribute to the bloodshed in the region.

Based on reporting by Interfax and TASS