In Dagestan, local residents report on new Imam in mosque of Maidanskoe village

About 200 law enforcers still stay in the village of Maidanskoe of the Untsukul District of Dagestan. This was reported by local residents. However, according to them, the presence of law enforcers does not affect their lives at the moment. People are busy with harvesting; and a new Imam has arrived to work at the local mosque.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on July 6, a regime of counterterrorist operation (CTO) was introduced in the Untsukul District of Dagestan. The law enforcers cordoned off three villages, including the village of Maidanskoe. According to the law enforcers, on July 6, five suspected militants were killed in Maidanskoe, and on July 8, two other suspected militants were killed. The law enforcers blew up eight houses in Maidanskoe, including the building of the local medrese.

The villagers have also reported on the detention and beating of the Imam and the head of the village administration. On July 9, law enforcers left the village of Maidanskoe. According to Imamutdin Kamilov, the deputy head of the village administration, seven villagers are still kept in SIZO (pre-trial prison) on suspicion of aiding and abetting members of illegal armed formations (IAFs), and seven other villagers are put on the wanted list for the same suspicions.

According to a local resident, the criminal case was instituted against Rizvan Ustarov, the detained former Imam of the mosque, on suspicion of aiding and abetting militants.

The source has added that local residents did not prevent the appointment of the new Imam.