Authorities in the North Caucasus republic of Kabardino-Balkaria have identified a militant killed in a shootout with police as a recruiter for the Islamic State (IS), the Interfax news agency reported Thursday.
The man opened fire on police Thursday night when they tried to stop his vehicle and was killed by return fire, the report said, citing sources in law enforcement.
The suspect, who was unidentified in the report, is thought to be a Nalchik resident who was recruiting residents of Kabardino-Balkaria to fight for the IS in Syria, Interfax reported.
In late October, the Federal Security Service conducted nationwide raids on people suspected of aiding the terrorist group, the Rosbalt news website reported at the time. The raids followed a warning by Russia's Security Council that Russian fighters could return home from Syria "having gained military experience and on top of that being religiously and politically 'loaded,'" the TASS news agency reported.
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