North Caucasus - car bombs in Dagestan

RPS can report car bombings yesterday in Dagestan in the North Caucasus region.

At least two police officers were killed and 16 others injured, including civilians, in a suicide car bombing in Russia's southern Dagestan region on 23 September.

The attack reportedly targeted a police station in Khuchni, located in the Tabasaransky district. Separatist fighters and Islamist militants frequently carry out armed attacks targeting security forces and low-level officials in the North Caucasus region, notably in Dagestan, but also in Chechnya, Ingushetia and Kabardino-Balkaria.

These typically involve targeted shootings and, increasingly, improvised bombings. Although bombings generally have specific targets, attacks often result in civilian casualties. The incident in Khuchni follows separate car bombings targeting police in Chechnya's Sunzhensky district on 16 September, which left three police officers dead and six others wounded. The most significant recent car bombing in the region occurred on 20 May, when at least eight people were killed in twin blasts in Dagestan's regional capital, Makhachkala.

In response to militant activity, federal and local security forces regularly conduct security operations targeting suspected militants. These take place in both major urban centres and rural locations, routinely resulting in multiple casualties.

As such, further armed attacks and targeted security operations are likely in Dagestan and elsewhere in the North Caucasus, in the short- to medium-term.

Due to the high levels of instability and associated insecurities, RPS advises against all travel to Dagestan, Chechnya, Ingushetia and Kabardino-Balkaria (including the Mount Elbrus region).

In addition, due to numerous security concerns, travellers are also advised against all non-essential travel to Karachai-Cherkessia, North Ossetia and Stavropol's south eastern districts of Budyonnovsky, Levokumsy, Neftekumsky, Stepnovsky and Kurskoyi, which border Chechnya, Ingushetia, Dagestan and Kabardino-Balkaria.

Anyone currently in the areas mentioned above are advised to implement robust and extensive personal, residential and travel security measures.

Contact [email protected] for more information on travel arrangements.

Source: Red24