MAKHACHKALA, April 10 (RIA Novosti) - A sapper died early on Friday in an explosion during a mine-clearing operation in Russia's North Caucasus Republic of Daghestan, a source in the republic's Interior Ministry said.

The blast occurred when the bomb expert was removing a homemade explosive device from a gas pipeline some 30 km (19 miles) to the south of the Daghestani capital, Makhachkala.

"When he [the sapper] began removing the bomb an explosion occurred. The sapper died at the scene," the source said.

Bomb experts are searching for more bombs planted in the area.

Sporadic terrorist attacks and militant clashes are common in Daghestan, and in neighboring Chechnya, although the Kremlin has officially ended its military campaign against separatists and terrorists there.