Russia cracks down: In the past week, it has seemed that Russia is cracking down on its insurgents, particularly those with ties to militant Islam groups. One of the most recent cases is someone with ties to Tamerlan Tsarnaev. Many have speculated that it is a response to the events in Boston. At least seven rebels have been killed and more than a hundred arrested.

Early this morning, Russian forces killed two suspected terrorists in the region of Dagestan. One of the men killed has a "tangential" connection to Tamerlan Tsarnaev, one of the two suspects in the Boston attack.

The man, Shakhrudin Askhabov, and an accomplice were  killed by Russian authorities during a raid on his home by the police. They reportedly opened fire on the police during the raid and were gunned down. The Russian Federal Security Service  (FSB) released a video showing images of the dead bodies and some of their weapons.

Askhabov was a member of the group led by a man named Abu Dujan. Dujan's YouTube videos got links from Tsarnaev's account. It is unknown if Tsarnaev had direct contact with Abu Dujan or Askhabov. Dujan was killed by the FSB in December. When Tsarnaev was visiting the Dagestani capital of Makhachkala last year, he may have contacted them. Regardless, it appears that Russia is  now using the Chechnyan roots of the Tsarnaev brothers as validation for their policies.

Russia has been fighting to control  Islamic militants, separatist groups, organized crime, and nationalist rebels of various stripes in Dagestan for over a decade.

Russia has often tied this battle to the global fight on terrorism, but they have had little international support due to allegations of human rights abuses and problematic procedures for controlling insurgent groups. Putin has made comments on the Boston bombings that indicate he hopes for more American support, since there is now, to some extent, a common enemy.