23:10, 18 October 2010

North Ossetia starts recruiting people's guards

The voluntary people's guards will take their 3-month courses on the basis of the "Taktika" Training Centre. This time will be spent in mastering the basics of security, unarmed combat, shooting, medical help, as well as evacuation at emergencies such as natural disasters or terror acts.

It was decided to revive the people's guard service after the terror attack, committed on September 9 in Vladikavkaz.

"Many people treat this programme as the revival of militia helpers of the Soviet time, but it's not entirely true. This group has been running a more substantial training since March. People come here who just want to learn the basics of military and special training," said Boris Kantemirov, head of the "Taktika" Training Centre and a North-Ossetian MP.

In particular, Cossacks and SWAT (special weapons assault team) agents were trained here. And after the rally on September 15, according to Mr Kantemirov, many people came to us: ordinary citizens, students and even schoolchildren. Now, however, no more than a dozen of them remained - others proved to be not ready.

Author: Emma Marzoeva

Source: CK correspondent