Policeman shot dead in Daghestan

A rank and file member of the department for fighting extremism and criminal terrorism of the interior ministry of Daghestan, the republic neighbouring Chechnya, has been shot dead.

As RIA Novosti knows from the Daghestani interior ministry's press service, Salikh Shamkhalov and his wife were shot from two submachine guns at about 9 p.m. Moscow time yesterday at their dacha near Makhachkala.

33 5.45- and 7.62-mm calibre cartridge cases were found at the scene.

A relative criminal case has been opened. The circumstances and causes of the murder are being found out.

This is the fourth staffer of Daghestan's department for fighting extremism and criminal terrorism assassinated since September 2002, when the department chief was killed.