ROSTOV-ON-DON, July 14 (RIA Novosti) - Over 40 militants have been killed or detained in a special operation along the border between Russia's North Caucasus republics of Ingushetia and Chechnya, the Ingush interior minister said on Tuesday.

Law enforcement officers from Chechnya and Ingushetia along with federal troops launched a special operation to track down members of armed gangs on the border between the two republics on May 16.

"In the reporting period over 40 militants have been detained or killed," Ruslan Meiriyev said.

Meiriyev said a number of militants were still hiding in the mountainous border region.

"They are scattered and divided like never before. They are too week to carry out large-scale subversive or terrorist acts" he said, adding that the operation in the border zone is ongoing.