GROZNY, October 31 (RIA Novosti) - A militant leader was killed in a special operation in the capital of Chechnya on Saturday, the republic's interior minister said.

Ruslan Alkhanov said Emir Iban, linked to separatist leader Doku Umarov, was killed in a special operation led by Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov.

The minister said the gunman had holed up a house and was killed after a 15-minute shootout.

On Tuesday, a suicide bomber blew himself up in Grozny, killing one police officer and injuring another policeman.