Russian Investigative Committee Says Arrested 2 Suspects In 1999 Attacks In Dagestan

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 25th September, 2021) The Russian Investigative Committee announced on Saturday that it arrested two former armed group members who were involved in a deadly attack against Russian military forces in the Republic of Dagestan back in 1999.

"Investigators, together with the employees of the Federal Security Service, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia and with the military support of the National Guard, detained two natives of the Stavropol Territory, Albert Elakayev and Alimkhan Musayev. These persons were members of an illegal armed group led by Shamil Basayev and Emir Khattab," the committee said in a statement.

In mid-July 1999, Elakayev and Musayev voluntarily joined the movement led by Basayev and Khattab, the committee believes. From August 7-24, 1999, at least 1,000 armed fighters rioted and made attempts on the lives of Russian military personnel who were working in the Botlikh region in Dagestan. As a result of the heavy shelling, 33 people were killed and another 34 were injured. The committee noted that the search for other participants in those armed clashes continued.