2 police officers in Russia’s Dagestan region killed in shootings

2 policemen killed in Russia’s Dagestan region

MAKHACHKALA, Russia — Gunmen killed two policemen in separate shootings in Russia’s violence-plagued Dagestan region, including one whose father, mother and sister died in previous attacks, officials said Tuesday.

Lt. Rasul Magomedov was gunned down Monday afternoon outside the police station in the village of Gubden, regional Interior Ministry spokesman Vyacheslav Gasanov said.

Magomedov’s father, a district police commander, was killed by insurgents in 2008. The next year, his mother and sister were killed in a bombing at the cemetery where they were visiting the father’s grave.

Also Monday, police investigator Akhmad Gadzhiev was shot and killed while driving in the Khasavyurt area near the border with Chechnya, according to another ministry spokesman, Magamet Tagirov.

For the past decade, Dagestan has experienced persistent violence by insurgents believed to be inspired by the separatists in neighboring Chechnya.

Attacks on police and clashes with small groups of militants are frequent.