Two police officers have been killed and at least eight others injured in an ambush in Russia's southern Republic of Dagestan. Five of the injured are in critical condition in hospital.

Their convoy was returning to the base when it came under fire, going out of a tunnel.

The officers were travelling in two vehicles, which were not armoured. The gunmen fled after the officers returned the fire.

“The fire came from two spots in the woods. At least five or six people took part in the shooting,” said Omar Omarov, Byunaksk region’s prosecutor.

Mark Tolchinsky, the spokesperson for Dagestan’s Interior Ministry, commented:  

“Between 3 and 4 p.m., a convoy with combat soldiers from the special police forces of the Republic were on their way to the Buinaksk region. When they passed a five-metre-long tunnel, the convoy was fired on from the woods. It’s not clear yet how many attackers were involved. The gunmen fled after the special police soldiers opened fire in return. Two of our staff were killed and at least seven injured, most of them with heavy injuries, and have been taken to a hospital, where doctors are now fighting for their lives.”