Two Killed in Shoot-Out in Southern Russia

Two people were killed in a shoot-out in Russia’s southern republic of North Ossetia on 19 October, the independent Ingushetiya.ru website reported.

Unidentified people drove into the village of Chermen in Prigorodnyy District at around 2300 local time (1900 gmt) and fired at several ethnic Ingush residents using assault rifles, the report said.

A 24-year-old villager, Sultygov, who was identified as a relative of a cabinet minister in the neighbouring republic of Ingushetia, died immediately. One of the wounded, 18-year-old Timurziyev, died of his wounds later, Ingushetiya.ru said.

The motive for the attack is unclear.

The village is populated by both Ossetians and Ingush who fought an ethnic conflict in 1991.

Originally published by Ingushetiya.ru website in Russian 0655 20 Oct 07.

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