One suspect was killed and four arrested after police in the North Caucasus republic of Ingushetia swooped on gang members suspected of robberies which funded militants, a police spokesman said on Thursday.

“Interior Ministry and Federal Security Service (FSB) officers held a manhunt in the village of Ekazhevo,” the spokesman told RIA Novosti by phone. “The bandits offered armed resistance.”

Two of the gang were injured and hospitalized. The police suffered no casualties. Two assault rifles, two handguns, a grenade and ammunition were recovered at the scene, the police said.

The suspects may have been involved in a number of high-profile robberies in Ingushetia, including an attack on the republic’s deputy health minister, a North Caucasus police source said.

“There is information that the bandits also sent part of their criminal funds to finance militants,” the police spokesman said.

Attacks by Islamist separatists targeting the security forces and officials occur frequently in the North Caucasus republics of Ingushetia, Dagestan and Chechnya.