Makhachkala, February 1, 2016. In 2015 the number of terrorist-related crimes declined by half, the law enforcement agencies managed to eliminate 96 militants in Dagestan - the deputy director of the Russian Federal Security Service – the Chairman of the National Anti-Terrorist Committee of Russia Igor Sirotkin reported January 31 on a target meeting of the republican Antiterrorist Commission in Dagestan government.

"The elimination of a number of leaders of bandit groups by the law enforcement agencies allowed to largely fragmentize and forge bandits’ underground and to prevent the expansion of its activity outside the republic. The number of terror related crimes and terror acts reduced by half. But, at the same time, despite the neutralization of 96 bandits, the underground could recover due to the stable supporters’ assistance in the republic" - I.Sirotkin said.

The NAC Chairman added that about 800 people had left Dagestan to Syria and Iraq to take part in hostilities. "It certainly poses a real threat to the exacerbation of situation in the event of their return to Russia" - Sirotkin pointed out, calling to pay more attention to the preventive work, particularly in discouraging the involvement of minors in the illegal armed groups.

In Dagestan in 2015, 65 militants and their supporters have applied for voluntary renunciation of terrorism, Dagestani Head Ramazan Abdullatipov said at the meeting. "As a result of joint work with the security forces 65 insurgents and their supporters turned to law enforcement agencies and Reconciliation Commission and agreed with the statement on voluntary renunciation of terrorist activities", - the governmental press service quotes the Head of the republic.