Arab mercenaries among gunmen in Daghestan

Arab mercenaries are among the militants who have penetrated into the Tsuntinsky district of Daghestan, chairman of the Tsuntinsky district commission for emergency situations Magomed Magomedov said.

"According to the woman hostage released by the militants, there are about 30-40 men in the group of gunmen, including Avars and people speaking Arabian," Magomedov said.

According to Magomedov's information, the militants are holding 11 men from the villages of Shauri and Galatli as hostages.

"The bandits have been blocked up in the area of the village of Galatli. The interior bodies are also checking the reports that some of the militants have left and are staying near the village of Sagad on the border with the Tsumadinsky district of Daghestan, Magomedov said.

Earlier head of the press service of the Daghestani Interior Ministry Abdulmanap Musayev told RIA Novosti that the bandits were holding only four residents of the village of Shauri as hostages. "The reports that the bandits have taken hostage the residents of other villages in the district do not correspond to reality," Magomedov said.