Moscow - A woman doctor in charge of the blood transfusion service was killed Friday in the Russian Caucasus republic of Ingushetia, Russian Interfax press agency reported. She was killed in a drive-by shooting in the capital Nasran, Interfax reported, citing police sources. Militant Islamists have been waging a campaign against Russian rule in the area.
Last Friday, at least seven people were killed in separate attacks in Nasran and in the city of Karabulak. At least three of those killed were of ethnic Russian origin.
In the same area in mid-July a teacher of Russian origin and two children were shot dead.
Last week, a spokeswoman for the Russia State Prosecutors Office said the goal of the attackers was to destabilized the region.
Experts have not excluded the possibility that political forces are attempting to trigger a crisis in the Northern Caucasus before the presidential elections in the Russia Federation in March 2008.
According to Moscow political scientist Pavel Felgenhauer, such a situation could profit a candidate from the security apparatus or force President Vladimir Putin to remain in office.
