MOSCOW, July 3 (RIA Novosti) - Two troops have been killed and another five wounded in a series of explosions in Russia's North Caucasus republic of Chechnya, a local police source said on Friday.

The victims of Thursday's blasts include Interior Ministry and Defense Ministry personnel.

"Two blasts went off in a forest near Shalazhi in the Urus-Martan District, and a third occurred near a food store in the district centre [Urus-Martan]," the source said.

The Kremlin announced a formal end to its 10-year counter-terrorism operation in the troubled region on April 16 but violence has continued in Chechnya and neighboring republics.

In a separate development in Nalchik, the capital of the nearby North Caucasus republic of Kabardino-Balkaria, two armed people surrendered to the police during a special operation in the early hours of Friday.

"A man and a woman blocked off in an apartment surrendered to law enforcement officers at about 04:00 Moscow time [00:00 GMT]," a police spokesman said.

He said two Kalashnikov assault rifles and a large amount of ammunition were seized from the apartment. An investigation is underway.

A counter-terrorism operation was launched in Kabardino-Balkaria's Elbrus District on Tuesday.