Russia says 7 rebels, one special forces officer killed

Moscow: Russian security officials said Thursday that one special forces agent and seven alleged rebel fighters were killed in an operation in the Dagestan region of the volatile North Caucasus.

The country`s anti-terrorism committee said in a statement released to Russian news agencies that the FSB security agency raid had "neutralised" seven members of a "group that had more than once murdered law enforcement officials and civilians.

"In the course of the battle with the bandits one FSB agent died and three were wounded, it said.

The Dagestan region neighbours Chechnya where Russia fought two brutal separatist conflicts.

An Islamist insurgency lingers on in the North Caucasus despite Moscow`s attempts to crush it and the authorities regularly report deadly firefights with alleged rebels.

In March the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for a suicide attack that killed a policeman in Dagestan.

del/cw