ROSTOV-ON-DON, September 20 (RIA Novosti) - Ingush President Yunus-Bek Yevkurov condemned on Sunday the assassination of a prominent Muslim cleric in southern Russia and said his killers will be found and punished.

Ismail Bostanov, deputy chairman of the Muslim Board of Karachayevo-Circassia and Stavropol, was killed early on Sunday in an attack on his car at a filling station in the town of Cherkessk in Russia's North Caucasus Republic of Karachayevo-Circassia.

"We mourn his death together with his relatives and all peoples of Karachayevo-Circassia. I am certain that his killers will face a just and severe punishment," said Yevkurov, who has recently recovered from injuries sustained in an attempt on his life in June.

"He [Bostanov] was highly respected in the Caucasus. He made a great contribution to peace process in the Caucasus, to the development and spread of Islam," the Ingush president said.

Bostanov served as deputy chairman of the Muslim Board of Karachayevo-Circassia and Stavropol for over 20 years and as rector of the Islamic Institute in Karachayevo-Circassia for more than 10 years.

He was well known for his uncompromising struggle against reactionary Wahhabism and extremism.

Bostanov survived an attempt on his life in December 2006, when a group of masked assassins stormed his house, shot and knifed him, and beat his wife.