Russian Forces Kill Three Militants In Daghestan

25 October 2005 (RFE/RL) -- Heavily armed police in the regional capital of Russia's southern Caucasus republic of Daghestan say they have killed three militants following an hours-long standoff, RFE/RL's Russian Service reported.

Police early on 25 October stormed an apartment building in Makhachkala, where the militants were holed up.

Republican Interior Minister Adilgerei Magomedtagirov said the men included leaders of what he called Daghestan's "extremist underworld."

Daghestan -- which borders Russia's restive republic of Chechnya -- has been plagued by a series of bombings and shootings.

Most of the attacks target police and law enforcement officials and are linked to militant groups or criminal gangs.

(with ITAR-TASS)