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An armed clash occurred between the leader of the Shia Islamists of Azerbaijan, Taleh Bagirzade, and his supporters and the police in the settlement Nardaran 25 km to the north from Baku, Azerbaijani information agency Trend reports.

The agency was told at Sabunchi district police that people were killed and received injuries as a result of the incident. There are four killed according to preliminary information.

APA news agency reports that the law enforcement agencies were met with resistance in Nardaran as they were carrying out special operation. One of the members of the radical group, Abbas, was killed during the shootout as he resisted the police. The Islamists reportedly threw a hand grenade at the police officers and then started to shoot at them. Several other people were injured during the shootout. There are also police officers among those injured.

According to Haqqin.az reports, about 200 people gathered at the settlement’s central square after Imam Huseyn. Fifteen Islamists were detained. Some of them opened fire at the police in local Abulfat Bunyatov’s flat. Bunyatov’s wife told Haqqin.az that the locals started to throw stones at the guards who were supposed to watch the order after the special operation.

According to Report agency, some people attempted to attack the vehicle of the agency but the driver managed to leave the place. Report’s journalist says some people also attacked the vehicle of the TV channel Azad Azerbaijan (ATV), which had arrived to film the incident. The radicals had showered stones on the vehicle and beaten the driver.

Turan agency reports that several buses with soldiers of Internal Troops guarded Baku’s Sabunchi police station. Witnesses say the soldiers have lined up around the building with shields and do not allow anyone approach the building. The reason is that the leader of the movement Muslim Unity, Taleh Bagirzade, and some of his supporters were taken to Sabunchi police after being arrested today in Nardaran. A group of Nardaran residents arrived to the station to demand his release.

Minval.az reports that the police carried out the special operation during the daytime prayer inciting the believers’ strong discontent. A group of Special Forces in back masks broke into the shrine Huseyniyye, where the Muslims were praying, and threw smoke bombs inside. Then they pushed black sacks on Taleh Bagirzade and some others’ heads and dragged them out of the place. In addition, some drugs were given to several people, which made them faint. Immediately after that, mass unrest broke out in Nardaran with people gathering on a spontaneous demonstration. Police forces are being brought up to the settlement.

Azerbaijani service of RFE/RL reports that the protesters have prepared Molotov cocktails. They are pouring oil on the square from bottles, and have scattered stones and pieces of iron on roads taking to the place. Reportedly, they demand that the residents of the settlement join the protest.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Prosecutor General’s Office said in a joint statement that ‘the investigation has found out that Taleh Bagirzade, Elman Agayev, Zulfugar Mikayilov and Abulfat Bunyatov established the movement Muslims Unity to carry out an overthrow of the current constitutional order and authority and create a religious state controlled in accord with Sharia law. The above-mentioned persons gathered supporters in Baku and Azerbaijan districts and organised a criminal gang armed with various types of firearms and explosives.’

According to the statement, the leaders of the group carried out illegal meetings in Nardaran voicing ideas and working out methods of organising a rebellion of the population. To that end, they instructed duly their supporters and spread leaflets. Every member of the organisation had particular tasks, and there were certain people in charge of organising terror attacks against officials.

Two members of law enforcement agencies were killed in the special operation. A large number of firearms and military grenades were found and confiscated from the place of the incident. Quick measures have been taken up to reveal more members of the group and parties financing them.