16:26, 25 December 2003

40 bandits believed to be holed up in Dagestani mountain cave

A 40-strong group of bandits is holed up in a cave in the mountainside on the administrative border between the Tsuntinsky and Tsumadinsky districts of Dagestan, commander of the Khunzaksky border detachment Colonel Artemi Kostanyan reported on Thursday.

He said the border guards had found no traces indicating that more than one bandit group were still in the Dagestani mountains.

According to him, the bandits came to Dagestan from Chechnya across the Tsumadinsky district where no border posts were deployed. After border guards spotted them, the gunmen sought re-entry to Chechnya.

"The trapped militants now have no chance to escape," said Kostanyan. It is not known how many men they have lost as the military have been using the tactics of contactless elimination of the extremists. The latter have been under ceaseless artillery and mortar gunfire and air strikes.

Editors note: See also the article "Group of rebels in Dagestan led by Shamil Basayev's mate".

Source: ITAR-TASS News Agency