Terror plot foiled in Russia's North Caucasus

MOSCOW, May 24 (Xinhua) -- A major terrorism plot was thwarted in Russia's North Caucasus region after police seized a large home-made explosive device, local authorities said Monday.

The device, equivalent to 1 kg of TNT, was found Sunday evening at the Eternal Flame Memorial in the city of Tyrnyauz in Kabardino-Balkaria republic, according to the republic's interior ministry.

"Taking into account the mass people gathering at the memorial on weekends, the proximity of high-rise buildings and a mechanism supplying natural gas to the memorial, the bomb's explosion would cause numerous casualties and mass destruction," a local police official was quoted by the Itar-Tass news agency as saying.

Investigations are underway to identify and hunt down those responsible, it said.

On May 1, an explosion hit a hippodrome in the republic's capital of Nalchik, killing one person and injuring 29 others, including the regional culture minister.

Violence is common in Russia's mainly Muslim North Caucasus republics, especially Chechnya, Dagestan and Ingushetia, with militants frequently targeting police and officials regarded as representing the Russian authorities.

The Kremlin has taken measures to improve the local economy and employment and tackle the problems of clan rivalries and corruption, in its effort to prevent locals from being misled into joining terrorist groups in the region.

๑۩۞۩๑๑۩۞۩๑๑۩۞۩๑๑۩۞۩๑๑۩۞۩๑

Sphere: Related Content