Opposition activist killed in southern Russia

Regional police say a prominent opposition activist in the Russian province of Ingushetia has been shot and killed by unidentified gunmen.

Police spokeswoman Madina Khadziyeva says Maksharip Aushev died Sunday when several assailants sprayed his vehicle with automatic gunfire. Khadziyeva said the attack occurred on a road in the neighboring province of Kabardino-Balkariya.

Aushev had worked with Magomed Yevloyev, a journalist, lawyer and opposition activist who was detained and killed by police in August 2008. Police said at the time that Yevloyev was shot and killed after he tried to grab a weapon from one of the officers.

Ingushetia and other provinces in Russia's volatile North Caucasus, including Chechnya, are seeing increasing violence.