At least three people have been killed in clashes between Russian security forces and gunmen in the restive northern Caucasus republic of Ingushetia, Russian media reported Sunday. An unconfirmed number of people were also injured in the five-hour firefight in the city of Malgobek, news agency Interfax reported citing police sources. According to the report militants had overnight launched an attack on a post manned by Russian interior ministry security forces, killing one officer. Two insurgents were killed in the ensuing firefight. The Kremlin has since August sent an additional 2,500 interior ministry troops to Ingushetia to bolster the campaign against terrorism in the region. The parliament in neighboring Chechnya on Friday condemned the latest wave of attacks on civilians, security forces and politicians in Ingushetia. The attacks were aimed at destabilizing the situation in the republic, a Chechen parliamentary statement said.
