The latest reports from Russia's North Caucasus republic of Ingushetia say at least seven police were killed by a suicide bomber early on August 19 as the officers attended the funeral of a slain colleague.
Russia's Investigative Committee in Ingushetia says a criminal probe has been launched into the bombing in the town of Malgobek.
The committee says the seven slain police officers had gone to the home of Ilezir Korigov, who was killed in a gun battle on August 18, and were offering their condolences to his family when the suicide bomber carried out the attack.
Ingushetia's Governor Yunus-Bek Yevkurov said he thinks the militants killed Korigov to set up the suicide attack at the funeral on August 18.
As many as 12 other police were wounded by the August 19 blast. Authorities said the suicide bomber's explosives had been packed with shrapnel.
Ingushetia is one of the predominantly Muslim republics in Russia's restive North Caucasus region, where an Islamic insurgency has raged for years.
The bombing came as Muslims in Russia and around the world were marking Eid al-Fitr -- the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
On the night of August 18, in the nearby republic of Daghestan, two masked gunmen burst into a Shi'ite mosque during evening prayers and opened fire on worshippers there -- wounding eight people.
Rukhir Samedov, who was wounded in the hand during the mosque attack, said the gunmen wore masks and some sort of black camouflage similar to that worn by Russian special forces.
"We were sitting. We'd just finished our prayer and wanted to break the fast. People were sitting, maybe 50 people were there. People just sat down, started eating, and the door opened and shooting started from automatic weapons. Eight people were injured. I can't understand if they were terrorists or what," Samedov said.
"We were sitting. We'd just finished our prayer and wanted to break the fast. People were sitting, maybe 50 people were there. People just sat down, started eating, and the door opened and shooting started from automatic weapons. Eight people were injured. I can't understand if they were terrorists or what," Samedov said.
Police investigating the mosque shooting in the city of Khasavyurt say they also found a large homemade bomb that the gunmen left behind. They say they were able to defuse the bomb.
Shi'ites are a minority in Daghestan and throughout the North Caucasus.
Russia's Muslim community has been hit by violence since the start of Ramadan in July when Tatarstan's mufti, Ildis Faizov, was hospitalized after three powerful explosions struck his car in Kazan and deputy mufti Valiulla Yakupov was shot dead outside his home in Kazan -- raising fears that militancy is spreading to Russia's heartland.
Ravil Gainutdin, the chairman of Russia's Mufti Council, says Muslims across Russia are sincerely praying to Allah to bring peace and stability to the country.
