GROZNY, July 25 (RIA Novosti) - Six militants were killed Saturday in a special operation in Chechnya, and five policemen were wounded, the Russian North Caucasus republic's interior minister said.

"Operation information was received that a group of illegal armed unit members is hiding in a house in the Goity village. Policemen blocked the house, but the militants opened fire on policemen," Ruslan Alkhanov said.

Russia's North Caucasus has seen an upsurge in violence in recent months, although the Kremlin announced a formal end to its 10-year counter-terrorism operation in the troubled region on April 16.