Military

MILITANTS PLANTING LANDMINES IN FIELDS PRIOR TO SOWING CAMPAIGN

RIA Novosti

GROZNY, March 2 (RIA Novosti) - Chechen militants plant landmines in the fields in anticipation of the sowing campaign, RIA Novosti was told by a spokesman of the Regional Operative Headquarters running the antiterrorist operation in the North Caucasus.

According to the officer, to prevent terrorist attacks just like they have done before, federal forces started combing agricultural lands for landmines and improvised explosive devices (IED) planted by the militants.

"During an examination of a land plot in the village of Gekhi in the Urus-Martan District, combat engineers found a TM-57 antitank landmine planted by militants. The mine was lifted and taken away, and then it was disposed of in an explosion," the spokesman said.

Search for the perpetrators is underway.

In addition, an arms cache has been found in the woods on the outskirts of the village of Alkhan-Kala. There were an AKM assault rifle, four hand grenades and seven 120-mm mortar bombs modified for use as IEDs found in the cache.

According to the Regional Operative Headquarters, another arms cache was unearthed in an abandoned building at the settlement of Oktyabrsky in the Vedeno District the day before. An 82-mm mortar bomb modified for use as an IED, 1 kg of plastic explosives, two hand grenades and small-arms ammunition were stashed there.

Ammunition has been removed and disposed of and the assault rifle was sent for expert examination.