A notorious gang leader in Russia"s North...

RIA Novosti has not yet received official confirmation of Tikhomirov"s death, but the sources said he was killed on Tuesday and identified on Thursday.

Investigators say Tikhomirov was one of the key ideologists among the militant groups in Russia"s volatile south. They also say he organized a number of large-scale terrorist attacks.

Police said Tuesday that at least six suspected militants were killed during a police sweep in the southern Russian republic of Ingushetia.

Fierce fighting had erupted earlier in the day near the region"s largest city, Nazran, when a group of heavily armed militants were holed up in several houses and refused to surrender.

According to police, the militants had been involved in recent attacks on law enforcement officials, and planted bombs near police headquarters in Ingushetia.

Russia"s mainly Muslim North Caucasus republics, especially Chechnya, Dagestan and Ingushetia, have seen an upsurge of militant violence lately,

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