Police battle militants in security sweep in Dagestan

Police are battling militants in a security sweep in the Republic of Dagestan in Russia's volatile North Caucasus region, the National Anti-Terrorist Committee said on Sunday. "By decision of the operational headquarters, at 7:00 a.m. Moscow time (03:00 GMT), a house with militants has been blocked since early Sunday in Dagestankiye Ogni. A counter-terrorist regime has been imposed and a special operation is underway," the committee said. According to preliminary information, three to four militants have been blocked in the house. A police source earlier said that two militants had already been killed. There were no reports about casualties among the police. More that a decade after the end of a federal war against separatists in Russia's North Caucasus republic of Chechnya, Russian security forces continue to fight militants in other regions in the area, who stage frequent attacks on security forces, police and civilians.