MAKHACHKALA, July 1 (RIA Novosti) - A police officer was killed and at least 14 others wounded when gunmen opened fire on a police station in Russia's North Caucasus Republic of Daghestan, a local police spokesman said.

Around midnight prior to the attack a car was blown up near the Interior Ministry building in the town of Derbent.

"Seven police officers were injured and one of them later died in hospital," the spokesman said.

Less than an hour later a second car blast occurred near the police station. Police later discovered the body of the "dead driver" in the trunk.

"Three police officers and four civilians were wounded," in the blast the spokesman said, adding that the attackers fled the crime scene and a search for them was underway.

Large-scale military operations are over in the North Caucasus republic, but separatists continue to carry out raids on federal troops and Kremlin-backed police and authorities. Violence often spills into neighboring Russian regions.