MOSCOW (Reuters) - TWO Russian policemen and a militant were killed in a shootout in the North Caucasus region of Dagestan on Monday, Itar-Tass news agency reported.

Three gunmen opened fire on policemen who stopped their car in a rural area to check documents, the agency quoted a police source as saying.

As security in the neighbouring republic of Chechnya has improved, instability has worsened elsewhere in the mainly Muslim North Caucasus and attacks against authorities by Islamic insurgents have increased.

Analysts say deep-rooted corruption and widespread poverty push many young men to join the ranks of insurgents.

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