Russian Special Forces Kill Six Islamists in Causasus

Russia said Friday its security forces killed six Islamists in the volatile North Caucausus including an envoy from the Islamic State group who had spent time in Syria.

Special forces "neutralised" four fighters in Nazran, the largest city in the Ingushetia region, and two more in the village of Gazi-Yurt, the National Anti-Terrorism Committee said in a statement quoted by Interfax news agency.

"According to preliminary information, among the neutralised bandits was an emissary of IS, Zabairi Sautiyev, who arrived from Syria to renew terrorist activity in the (Ingushetia) region."

The Russian North Caucasus is one of the major sources of foreign jihadists fighting in Syria and Iraq. 

Sautiyev is listed as wanted by the interior ministry of Ingushetia for "crimes of a terrorist nature." The 23-year-old was born in the region and is registered as living there.

The Russian authorities said they found two suicide belts at the scene as well as semi-automatic machineguns, pistols and hand grenades.