Police in the Russian Caucasus republics of Chechnya and Daghestan say shoot-outs with militants left at least seven people dead.

Police in the Gudermes district of Chechnya say two militants and two police officers were killed in a gunfight.

In Daghestan, meanwhile, police in the Kumtorkalinsk district, some three kilometers north of Makhachkala, say they were attempting to stop a vehicle when its occupants opened fire.

Police returned fire, killing all three of the people who were in the car. Police say the occupants were militants.

There were no casualties among police.