Caucasus, February 20: Unidentified gunmen have shot dead a local official in the city of Nalchik in Russia’s North Caucasus region, a local source says.
The official, Ramzan Friev, was the head of the administration of Hasanya village, near Nalchik, which is located in the Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria.
In another incident, on Friday unidentified assailants opened fire on a van carrying tourists on a road in Kabardino-Balkaria, killing three people, including a woman, and injuring two other tourists, Russian news agencies reported on Saturday.
Local officials are frequently attacked by separatist rebels in the North Caucasus.
Double bombings carried out by two female bombers on the Moscow metro in March 2010 killed 40 and wounded more than 100.
At least 35 people were also killed and dozens injured in a terrorist attack on Russia’s Domodedovo Airport last month.
Separatist rebels from the North Caucasus are the main suspects in both incidents.
——–Agencies