ROSTOV-ON-DON, May 27 (RIA Novosti) - Law enforcement officers in Russia's North Caucasus republics of Ingushetia and Chechnya have killed 12 militants in the course of special operations since May 16, Ingush police said Wednesday.

"During joint special operations since May 16, Ingush and Chechen law enforcement officers have killed 12 militants, seven of them in Ingushetia. No one was taken prisoner, but there is information that there were wounded among the militants who are in hiding," a spokesman said on the phone.

He also said four Chechen police officers were killed during the operations, and that six Chechen and Ingush policemen and service personnel had been wounded.

"In addition, three militant bases were discovered in forestland; a large haul of weapons was been seized, including a machine gun, ammunition, explosive devices and substances, as well as foodstuffs, uniforms and mobile phones with SIM cards," the spokesman said.

Militant attacks have continued since the official lifting last month of the Kremlin's decade-long anti-terrorist campaign in Chechnya.

Violence often spills over into nearby republics, in particular Ingushetia and Daghestan.

Late on Monday, four Chechen police officers were killed in neighboring Ingushetia when a tripwire triggered a bomb during a joint Chechen-Ingush police operation.