MAKHACHKALA, October 10 (RIA Novosti) - Unknown assailants seized cameras from RenTV journalists when they were filming a brawl in the town of Derbent in the Russian North Caucasus republic of Dagestan, a local reporter told RIA Novosti.

Magomed Khanmagomedov, a special correspondent for Dagestani weekly Chernovik, said on the phone that the Moscow-based journalists arrived at Derbent's Sovetskaya Street where reportedly a brawl was underway.

When the reporters started mounting cameras, armed people clad in sportswear came up to them.

"Threatening the journalists and making shots into the air from assault rifles, they took cameras from the journalists and forced them to leave the incident site," Khanmagomedov said.

Police in Derbent, electing its mayor today, have not commented on the incident.