Russian security officials say a member of the Islamic State (IS) extremist group and five other militants have been killed in two counterterrorism operations in the North Caucasus region of Ingushetia.
Russia's National Antiterrorist Committee (NAK) said the alleged militants were killed on October 7 in the village of Gazi-Yurt and Ingushetia's largest city, Nazran.
One of those reportedly killed was identified as Zabairi Sautiyev, who recently returned from Syria, where he is said to have fought alongside IS militants.
The NAK said Sautiyev came to Ingushetia to lead terrorist activities in the region.
According to the NAK, there were no casualties among either security forces or local residents.
Violence is common in Russia's North Caucasus, which includes the restive mostly Muslim-populated regions of Ingushetia, Chechnya, Daghestan, and Kabardino-Balkaria.
Islamic militants and criminal groups routinely target Russian military personnel, local officials, and moderate Muslims.
