Militants Planting Landmines in Fields
Prior to Sowing Campaign
GROZNY
(RIA Novosti) — Chechen militants plant landmines in the fields
in anticipation of the sowing campaign, RIA Novosti was told by
a spokesman of the Regional Operative Headquarters running the
antiterrorist operation in the North Caucasus.
According
to the officer, to prevent terrorist attacks just like they have
done before, federal forces started combing agricultural lands
for landmines and improvised explosive devices (IED) planted by
the militants.
"During
an examination of a land plot in the village of Gekhi in the Urus-Martan
District, combat engineers found a TM-57 antitank landmine planted
by militants. The mine was lifted and taken away, and then it
was disposed of in an explosion," the spokesman said.
Search for
the perpetrators is underway.
In addition,
an arms cache has been found in the woods on the outskirts of
the village of Alkhan-Kala. There were an AKM assault rifle, four
hand grenades and seven 120-mm mortar bombs modified for use as
IEDs found in the cache.
According
to the Regional Operative Headquarters, another arms cache was
unearthed in an abandoned building at the settlement of Oktyabrsky
in the Vedeno District the day before. An 82-mm mortar bomb modified
for use as an IED, 1 kg of plastic explosives, two hand grenades
and small-arms ammunition were stashed there.
Ammunition
has been removed and disposed of and the assault rifle was sent
for expert examination.