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Bomb explodes in Grozny as authorities pursue militants

A bomb explosion in the centre of Grozny left 6 people injured amid heightened security and ongoing counter-terror operations initiated after a previous terrorist attack in the capital in May. The explosion was the second attack in Grozny since Russia officially declared an end to counter-terror operations in April. Two of the injured victims were police officers.
 
Violence has plagued the republic since the end of the counter-terror regime as the insurgency, once declared almost completely defeated by Chechen strongman president Kadyrov, has stepped up attacks on authorities culminating in a deadly attack on a convoy that killed 9 policemen two weeks ago. Authorities in pursuit of the militants responsible for the July 4th attack killed four militants and captured Rustaman Makhauri, who was reported by authorities to have a high-ranking position among the militants. Shortly after his capture, Makhauri was shown on Chechen television renouncing the militants and praising Kadyrov’s achievements. It was unclear whether he was coerced into making the statements. Another 12 militants were killed during separate incidents over the weekend, with Azamat Makhauri, younger brother of captured Rustaman, among the dead.
 
In an alarming development, Doku Umarov, leader of the armed underground resistance, stated that parents and relatives of Chechen policemen and government workers would now be pursued and targeted by the militants. The same practice of collective punishment has been used by Chechen authorities against parents and relatives of alleged militants as documented in a report released by Human Right Watch. Militants had up to now mainly targeted members of security services and the pledge by Umarov threatens to escalate the violence further, resulting in higher civilian casualties.
 
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Continued violence in Ingushetia and Dagestan

 
Violence continued to plague the restive republics as gunmen killed Magomed Gadaborshev, chief of criminal and forensics department of Ingushetia’s Ministry of the Interior. The attack was carried out during broad daylight in Nazran and is the latest high-profile attack to occur in the troubled republic whose President is still recovering after an assassination attempt last month. Gunmen also attacked houses of two other police officers.
 
Meanwhile militants ambushed a military convoy in a mountainous region of Dagestan during which 2 servicemen died and 5 were injured according to preliminary reports. The vehicle, carrying Russian servicemen returning from military exercises, drove off a ravine after gunmen wounded the driver. Gunmen also killed a police captain and injured two policemen during separate incidents.
 
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