Truck Bomb in Russia's Caucasus Kills 20

By Jessica Golloher

Moscow
17 August 2009

At least 20 people have been killed and 100 others wounded
after a suicide bomber blew up a truck at a local police station in Russia's volatile North Caucasus region.

Police say the bomber detonated a
truck packed full of explosives in Nazran, the capital of Ingushetia. The bomb exploded at the
gate of the local police headquarters just as
officers were lining up for work early Monday.

Ingushetia's
Interior Ministry Spokeswoman Marina Hajiva described the scene to
Russian television speaking through an interpreter.

"Rescue workers are going [to] the site of the terrorist attack in Nazran.
Investigation and fire crews are operating at the scene. Let me remind
you that at nine this morning someone drove a vehicle stuffed with
explosives through the gates of the Nazran region internal affairs
building. This caused an explosion and fire," Hajiva said.

The
blast also triggered a fire in a weapons room and ammunition was
detonated. Witnesses say that the explosion could be heard throughout
the city. The bombing is the latest in a string of deadly attacks in
Russia's volatile North Caucus region.

Last week, Ingushetia's
construction minister was shot to death in his own office. He had been
investigating construction fraud throughout the region. In June,
Ingushetia's president was severely wounded in a suicide car bomb
attack and a supreme court justice was killed after dropping her
children off at school.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev says
Moscow will take additional measures to ensure security in the region,
which borders Chechnya. Officials blame the violence on Islamic
militants and separatist groups.