Russian forces killed a leading Muslim fighter, prosecutors said on Thursday.

Anzor Astemirov, an associate of insurgent leader Doku Umarov, was killed in a shootout with FSB security service troops in Nalchik, capital of the southern Kabardino-Balkaria region, investigators with the prosecutor's office said in a statement.

Astemirov shot at the officers during a routine document check and was killed in a return of fire, the statement said.

Authorities say Astemirov had orchestrated the takeover of Nalchik by a small army of fighters in October 2005. At least 70 fighters, 24 police and 12 civilians were killed in the incident in 2005.

Authorities have claimed a series of killings in recent months in the Muslim regions of the North Caucasus, which also include Chechnya, Ingushetia and Dagestan.

Law-enforcement officials this month said they killed a senior commander.

In recent days Russian-commanded forces said they had killed the top bodyguard of leader Doku Umarov, Abu Khalid, and the leader of his forces in the Chechen capital Grozny.

Russia imposed its control in Muslim states in the 1990s. Still low-level insurgency continues in Muslim states controlled by Russia.


Agencies