Yunus-Bek Evkurov: three casualties of special operation in Nazran had nothing to do with IAFs

There is no information about the involvement into the armed underground of Salakhuddin Buruzhev, Zina Velkhieva, and Shamsudin Gardanov, who were killed on April 3 during a special operation in Nazran. This was announced by Yunus-Bek Evkurov, the leader of Ingushetia, on April 9 at a meeting with relatives of the deceased people.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on April 3, at about 9:00 p.m., in Oskanov Street in Nazran, during the special operation conducted by officers of the Russian FSB Department in Ingushetia, five persons, including one woman, were killed. According to official information, the bodies of passengers of the car bore improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The car was exploded with people in it.

Earlier, Ingush leaders have declared the innocence of Zina Velkhieva, killed during the special operation. On April 5, her son applied to the representation of the Human Rights Centre "Memorial", asking to assist in protection of honour and dignity of his killed mother.

Salakhuddin Buruzhev, Zina Velkhieva, and Shamsudin Gardanov fell victim to the special operation to neutralize active members of illegal armed formations (IAFs), who were preparing terror acts in Ingushetia and on April 3, for that purpose, they were transporting explosives in the car. This was emphasized by Yunus-Bek Evkurov at the meeting with the relatives of the deceased people.

According to him, there is no information about the involvement into the armed underground of the two deceased men and the woman, "no one calls them militants or suicide bombers", and investigatory authorities are to reveal the reasons for their presence in the car.

According to Yunus-Bek Evkurov, one of the main versions is that the militants used them as shield for transporting of explosives.

The leader of Ingushetia has informed the relative of the deceased people that on April 20 they will be able to meet a representative of the Republic's Prosecutor's Office. At the same time, Yunus-Bek Evkurov has added that he keeps the situation under his personal control.

Mukharbek Didigov, Chairman of the National Assembly, Pavel Belyakov, Prosecutor of Ingushetia, Bashir Buruzhev, the father of Salakhuddin Buruzhev, Israpil Gardanov, the father of Shamsudin Gardanov, Bekkhan and Kazbek, sons of Zina Velkhieva, also spoke at the meeting.

Timur Akiev, the head of the Nazran Branch of the Human Rights Centre "Memorial" emphasized that this was not the first time, when innocent people were killed during the special operation.

"In our reports on the situation in Ingushetia, we mainly focused on the fact that the fight against terrorism is necessary; however, those methods that are used in the republic are unacceptable and hardly effective, and they will only aggravate the situation, further loosen and increase the gap between the people and the government," he said.