Russians, militants clash in Caucasus

INGUSHETIA, Russia, May 24 (UPI) -- Trouble flared in the North Caucasus republic of Ingushetia Saturday when Russian troops and militant separatists engaged in a shootout, state media reported.

No one was killed in the exchange, which happened about 10 a.m. Moscow time, RIA Novosti reported. Quoting local sources, the Russian news agency said Russian Interior Ministry personnel first clashed with a group of nine gunmen near the town of Gandalbos, then engaged a larger group of 30 militants at another location nearby.

Two Russian troops were wounded Friday when an explosive went off in the republic's Sunzhensky District, a local official said.

Ingushetia has frequently seen spillover violence from Russia's long war with mainly Islamic separatists in the neighboring North Caucasus republic of Chechnya.